Unexpected Surprise: An Alternative Tale
by Aneki Okumura
Summary: An alternative story based on Totally Lucky's "Unexpected Surprise". Hawk Moth was defeated a while ago but they still patrolled, still held to their secret identities. One day Adrien left France after a bitter fight with Ladybug. Can Alya's detective skills and determination lead her to finding out who her best friends unborn baby's father is and bring him back?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi again! Just a short AN to say that this fic is based off another fic called "Unexpected Surprises" by Totally Lucky that I absolutely fell in love with. I Had this idea for if the fic was to go a little differently and Totally Lucky gave me permission to write this fic! You will need to have read Unexpected Surprises to understand what happens so if you haven't then GO AND READ IT NOW! IT'S SO AWESOME! I cried so hard at one part and reread it over and over until I've practically got the whole thing memorized and I guess it shows in the fact that I'm technically writing a fanfiction about a fanfiction XD**

 **If you read it a while ago then to refresh your memory I'll just give a brief description. After a night spent together, Ladybug and Chat Noir have a huge argument which leads to Chat/Adrien leaving the country. In the original fic, Adrien returns 6 years later to find that Marinette was LB and now has a 5 year old daughter called Emma who is the spitting image of his mother when she was that age. This fic is basically a different version of how the story unfolds.**

 **Anyways, All credit goes to Totally Lucky for writing the original fic and again thank you so much for letting me publish this!**

 **I do not own Miraculous LB & CN and Unexpected Surprises and all it's OC's belong to Totally Lucky, The original theme for this story is also theirs.**

* * *

Adrien stepped off the plane at exactly 8pm. The heat in New York was stifling and it took him several breaths to get used to the stifling air. The sun blazed down on him relentlessly and a sheen of sweat was already starting to form across his skin. He took one glance back at the plain that, wondering if running off on a whim in a haze of mixed emotions and a sleepless night was really a good idea but then he remembered her words. Her words which had turned his whole world upside down and destroyed the happy future he had held so dearly, leaving only a grey haze in it's path.

" _I wish I had never met you..."_

He tried to swallow the lump in his throat and hold himself together as he was whisked through customs as he had been doing for the past who knows how many hours. Sleep had at this point became a distant memory, it had been 36 hours since he had risen from the best night of his life and 27 hours since his whole world had came crumbling to it's knees and he hadn't slept. He didn't want to. He couldn't bare the thought of reliving that moment even if he know he couldn't stay awake for the rest of his life. Through his exhausted mind, he noticed a smartly dressed man with silvery hair slicked back tidily holding a plaque with his name written across the front and waved.

"Adrien Agreste?" He said smoothly. Adrien nodded and the man smiled. "Welcome to New York Monsieur Agreste, Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Mark Hamilton, Your father hired me to be your personal translator, English tutor and personal assistant until you are able to adjust here on your own." Mark bowed ever so slightly and raised a hand which Adrien shook politely and lifted an arm to scratch the back of his head.

"Um, No need to be so formal, Just call me Adrien. My father didn't mention anything about this." Mark raised a brow ever so slightly as if confused by his response but smiled, thankful he didn't have to navigate to the apartment his father had bought for him less than a few hours ago on what little English he spoke.

"But of course Mons-Adrien, May I take your cases? The car is waiting outside."

"I'm okay." Mark bowed again and began leading the way out into the front of the airport. People bustled past but Adrien could barely register anything. The walk was silent as the assistant lead the way in silence to a sleep black Cadillac and opened the boot and began loading his suitcase into. Adrien protested to the borderline elderly man lifting his case - which barely had anything in it since he had tossed only the essentials in a rush for a flight that was booked three hours before departure - before opening the passenger seat for him to slide into. The drive to the apartment was awkward, Mark made several attempts at starting conversations, telling him about his schedule and asking how his flight was but the blonde barely answered if at all and stared unseeingly out the window. They reached a large luxury building that looked more like a fancy hotel than an apartment complex and he was ushered up to his new living space. The apartment was what he had became used to, lavishly furnished and decorated but cold and impersonal, not the faintest bit welcoming. His father had _bought_ this apartment for him and it occurred to the blonde that his father wasn't expecting him to return to Paris any time soon - or want him to. Mr Hamilton escorted him to his room and gave him a sympathetic smile he thought Adrien wouldn't see and stood tidily at the door while he took in his new bedroom.

"I trust it was a long trip, Please make yourself at home. Your interview at the agency will be tomorrow at 2pm so take your time to rest. If you need me for anything, just call," With that he offered a phone Adrien took, looking to see only one number saved in it. "If you need someone to talk to then also, please call me, I live down the hall." He gave another bow and Adrien forced an appreciative smile as he left, slightly annoyed at himself for being so readable. He dropped his suitcase and let himself fall onto the double bed sheeted with Egyptian cotton, his body finally giving into exhaustion. Finally alone and with nothing to distract him, he curled up into a fetal position, fingers pulling one of the pillows to his chest and burying his face into it, not even Plagg with him anymore to keep him company.

He had finally done it, He had succeeded in making everyone happy. He was out of the way so Ladybug could be happy and have the life he had envisioned himself with her with the other man she loved. He would no longer have to be a burden to his father by merely inhabiting the same household so he could go on with his work without having to direct him. He really had managed to make everyone he cared for happy, the only cost was any happiness he had envisioned for himself. It was in that moment, that realisation that the careful self control he had preserved up until that moment finally broke. All the grief, loss and loneliness he had kept under lock and key hit him like a tidal wave of such velocity his entire body shook violently and he wept into his pillow until early hours of the morning when the nightmares began.

* * *

Marinette was becoming desperate, she had almost all but given up on her search for Chat when she stood looking at him on top of a non-descript building somewhere near her old school. Standing right in front of her was a familiar black clad boy, ears and bell in place. She had chased him across half the rooftops of Paris before he finally stopped and turned around, her stomach had dropped. looking back at her with recognition in his eyes from under his messy bangs. Blue eyes. Brown hair.

"Who are you?" She asked, balling her shaking hands into fist and holding them behind her back. The boy chuckled, swinging his tail around in one hand, clearly oblivious to her almost threatening tone.

"I'm the new Chat Noir, I've actually been-"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE NEW CHAT NOIR?" She yelled, making the smaller boy jump in surprise. Confusion and something akin to fear flashed across his face as Ladybug jumped at him, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. "How did you get the miraculous? Where is the old Chat?" The questions flooded her mind and her grip on the young boy was crushing but he tried not to flinch.

"I found the ring on my windowsill this morning and Plagg said I was the new chosen-"

"What happened to the old chat? Please I need to know!" She cut him off again, angry and confused tears threatening to spill over as her control started to slip. The new Chat broke away from her grasp and stepped back, looking down and running his hand through his hair in an ever so 'Chat' way.

"I don't know, Plagg just said he had to give up his miraculous because he couldn't be Chat anymore,"

"What do you mean he couldn't be Chat anymore?"

"Hay I don't know! I only know what Plagg told me!" The brunette flung his arms in the air in frustration, "I don't know what happened between you two but he's gone and now I'm here, what do you WANT me to say?" Marinette stood there silently, observing him as he studied her up and down, furrowing his brows in agitation. His words repeated themselves in her head like a broken record and she sank to her knees, Her legs shaking to much to keep her standing. She covered her face in her hands, hiding the shame and hurt and resentment towards herself as it all spilled over and salty tears trailed down her cheeks. After an awkward silence passed only broken by her hiccups and sobs until Marinette felt a comforting hand on her shoulder and looked up to see concerned blue eyes.

"I don't know what happened between you but I'll ask Plagg if he knows what happened to the old Chat Noir, I guess since I'm your new partner it's my duty to help, Cats Honour," He gave a cheshire grin, his childish features bright and his eyes sympathetic. She nodded slowly, accepting his hand and let him pull her to her feet, awkwardly since he was a head shorter than her. His ring beeped and he startled. "I don't have long, meet me at the top of the Eiffel Tower tomorrow, I'll speak to Plagg and tell you what he knows." She nodded, forcing a smile and watched him dart off. She couldn't help but notice how his movements where awkward and he stumbled occasionally, his inexperience clear in his movements. Sadness rose in her once again and she turned tail and made her way to her home, being a little more careful than she usually would. Now she was faced with another question, something that had been bothering her for a few weeks and she had finally worked up the courage to buy the little blue stick that would confirm or deny her frightening suspicion. Less than twenty minutes later, she sat with her hand clasped over her mouth staring at the tiny digital screen that read 'pregnant - 6 weeks', once again her overly active emotions leaving her in a crying, trembling mess. After a long time of sitting on the toilet lid, she eventually calmed to the point where she could form a coherent though.

"Marinette?" Her Kwami finally spoke after a long silence, moving away after having been sat on her shoulder silently since getting back. Marinette looked at her as she flew in front of her, her tiny little face covered in regret.

"What is it Tikki?" The Kwami shuffled in midair, looking anywhere by Marinettes eyes.

"Um, because there is a new Chat, There also has to be a new Ladybug..." The Kwami's large eyes looked up apologetically finally meeting hers. "I can't stay much longer, I have to go."

"NO!" Marinette caught the Kwami gently in her eyes, holding her to her chest. "No please don't leave me, I...I can't take it if anyone else leaves me." She hunched over the little red creature who snuggled into her chest, pearl like tears glazing her jewel like eyes. "Why do you have to go?"

"We have our own rules we have to live by, if one of our chosen give back their miraculous and another one is chosen, the other has to find a new chosen to. I'm sorry Marinette, I really don't want to leave you like this but I have t-"

"One more day!" Marinette gripped Tikki to her even closer, ever so careful not to crush her tiny little body. "Please, just give me one more day so I can say goodbye properly. I can't face everything without you right now." She couldn't bare the thought of losing her partner but if she had no choice, she needed a chance to say goodbye properly, her heart couldn't take another disappearance. Her Chat hadn't been seen since the night she broke his heart and days later, she had found out that Adrien had up and left for a job in the states without a word, if anyone else abandoned her like that she would surely shatter. The Kwami stayed silent for a long time before flying up to her cheek and hugging her.

"Okay, I'll stay until tomorrow so you can see Chat again." Marinette smiled through her tears, uttering words of thanks over and over again and finally unlocked the bathroom door. She had a lot to do and she needed to do it while she still had Tikki for support so she pushed all her worries, all her uncertainty to the back of her mind and made her way downstairs, the first hurdle being to break the news to her parents.

* * *

The next day swept by far to quickly for Marinette's liking as her time as Ladybug ticked down to zero in the blink of an eye. She barely slept, trying to figure out what to do with the time she had left. College was the furthest thing from her mind and she didn't even bother to call in sick the next morning. The exchange with her parents had gone much smoother than she could have hoped, they didn't press on who the father was and they just held her, promising that they would support her no matter what her decision was. That part hadn't really sunk in until late that night and she lay pondering what she should do, Tikki snuggled close to her stomach the whole time. Should she keep it? Could she do it? Was it fair to raise a child when she technically didn't know who the father was? Her questions and uncertainty where all put to rest when a small revelation formed in her wrecked mind. She or He was Chats, it was a piece of Chat she could keep with her forever and she didn't want to face his look of hurt and disappointment if she ever found him and told him she _had_ been pregnant with his child. Not keeping the baby was like admitting she had given up on seeing him again.

The next day she spent almost the entire day transformed, carrying a rather large stash of cookies with her so she didn't have to wait long between transformations. She felt guilty as it took Tikki longer and longer to recover, not used to being pushed so far but Tikki reassured her she was fine, her own expression guilty. After scoping as much of Paris as she possibly could, she sat at the top of the Eiffel Tower untransformed, hidden from view and watched the streets as the sun slowly set, longing for a certain blonde clad in black to emerge. When her watch buzzed at 6pm, she transformed as she saw a clumsy brunette raising towards her from below on his baton. He approached her nervously and her hopes wilted.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, I've...I've had a rough couple of days."

"No need to apologise," He gave her a smile but it didn't quite hide his nerves. "So I spoke to Plagg..." He trailed off and his shoulders sagged, "Plagg couldn't tell me anything, He said he isn't allowed to tell anyone who his chosen are. The only thing he could tell me was that he was that he had to give up his miraculous because it has to stay in Paris and he was very upset about it...I'm sorry." The brunette looked down on the pedestrians below, his back to her. Marinette swallowed. Her only lead a dead end. Chat had left the country and she had no possible way of chasing him, to tell him how much she regretted her words and how sorry she was, to try and tell him how what she had wanted to say was that she loved him just as much as she loved Adrien. She had yet to manage to bury her feelings for Adrien but she was working on it, He had also left. He had never reciprocated her feelings and the time for her to give up was long overdue, to give her love to someone who did but by the time she had finally realised it, he was long gone.

"Thank you. Don't be sorry." She sighed heavily and forced a smile, unable to contain the single tear that escaped. "Thank you, I'm sure you'll make a great partner to Ladybug." With that she jumped down from the ledge she was sitting on, catching her yo yo onto a beam and made her way down. The motion made nausea swept over her and she hunched over at the base of the tower dry heaving as she hadn't been able to stomach food since the day before. A civilian stopped, coming over and asking if she was okay but she quickly ran away, not wanting to face anyone or linger long enough for pictures in her state to be plastered all over the internet. She still had one thing left to do before she had to give up her miraculous and the day was quickly drawing to an end. She finally found herself outside a modern apartment block, lights flickering merrily from within and she swung up to the window ledge, trying to open the window and finding it locked so she knocked. A confused Alya eventually came and drew the curtains and she froze in shock which quickly gave way for excitement as she unlatched the bedroom window, opening it wide for her to awkwardly climb in.

"Ladybug! What are you doing her? How did you know where I lived? Wait one moment, I need my phone. Nino! Ladybug is here!" She was practically dancing up and down and ran back into the living room followed by Marinette who couldn't help but laugh at her childish excitement. Nino turned around from the couch in surprise and his eyes widened. She smiled and gave an awkward wave and tried to stop Alya as she hurried back over to her, her phone in hand.

"Please, I have something important to show you. Since you've been following my every move since I became Ladybug." She shuffled awkwardly under Alya's excited gaze, her eyes burning with anticipation. "Um, Can we have some privacy?" She glanced sideways at Nino who observed, lifting an eyebrow in confusion. Alya put a hand on her hip and gave him the sweetest look she could.

"Honey could you go and get us a takeout? I fancy pizza. Please?" Her tone was sweet but she gave him a face that could only be read as 'I'll make it worth your while later,' and he jumped, grabbing his headphones and jacket and only stopping to give her a quick peck on the cheek. Once the door was shut behind him, Alya turned to look at Ladybug, finally seeing the tension in her small frame, The uncertainty in her eyes reminded of Marinette, how she would look the same when she had something she wanted to say but didn't want to say it.

"Is something wrong LB? Why did you come to visit me? And how do you know Nino's name?" More questions formed as genuine concern came for her idol as she saw how much of a mess the girl was. There where streaks down her face and her eyes where swollen and bloodshot, Her usually confident posture was sagging and she was breathing heavily like she had ran a marathon or two. The superhero glanced around the room nervously before she slowly met here eyes and they glazed over, her jaw tightening.

"I'm sorry I never told you, please don't freak out," She said in a course whisper, there was a flash of light which made the apprentice journalist lift an arm to cover her eyes and she squinted, freezing when the light dissipated and there stood Marinette, a small red creature dropping into her hands and she stood silent, waiting for her reaction.

"Mari...Marinette? It was you all this time?" The raven haired nodded slowly, her eyes fixated on something on the floor. A number of emotions washed over her and Marinette saw every one of them, her stomach twisting uncomfortably as she watched from her peripherals. Shock, confusion, embarrassment, betrayal, understanding happiness and then curiosity. "Okay so I understand why you would keep it from me but why now?" Of all the questions that Marinette could have expected she hadn't expected that. She finally lifted her gaze to her friends warm smile and suddenly found herself in her arms crying - yet again - unable to find words. How could she have even though Alya would leave her for keeping this big a secret from her? she had every right to lose it and kick her out but this was Alya, her best friend, the only person she could trust to just understand her without needing to explain herself and she couldn't be more grateful for being lucky enough to have a friend like her. Alya guided her to the now free sofa and allowed Marinette to collapse, her head and arms on her lap as she soaked her jeans. They stayed like that for a long time, Alya cooing words of comfort while Marinette really let go, she stealthily took her phone and texted Nino telling him to get an extra pizza and adding cake and ice cream to the order and asking him to take as much time as he could. She sat running her hands through her friends dishevelled hair, burning with questions but not wanting to pester the distressed girl as she figured out why Marinette had been so down lately, more that she would have expected from Adrien leaving. When she eventually settled down she moved and sat on the couch, legs crossed and curled in on herself while Alya made cocoa.

"Marinette, I have to go." Tikki flew up to face level with her chosen, Marinette nodded shakily and fumbled to take her earrings off.

"Who are you talking to?" Alya called before returning with two mugs piled high with whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate sauce, or Diabetes in a mug as Marinette liked to call it. The bluenette inclined at the small red creature that hovered in front of her.

"This is Tikki, She is how I transform into Ladybug." Tikki waved at her with a small smile and Alya eeped, placing a mug down on the coffee table and holding her hand out so the Kwami could land on it.

"She's adorable!" She squeeked, stroking Tikki's head with her index finger. "You'e been hiding this little babe from me all this time? I'm hurt. You know how much I love cute things." Marinette chuckled, her mood lightening a little before going down again.

"I can't be Ladybug anymore, There's a new Chat now and there needs to be a new Ladybug to. I can't be her anymore anyway." She took her other earring off and swept Tikki into her cupped hands from Alya's palm, nuzzling her cheek against Tikki's and smiling sadly. "Thanks Tikki, for everything, I'll miss you." She kissed the Kwami's tiny cheek gently and gave her one last hug. Tikki smiled at he, the earrings in her tiny hands looking huge.

"Take care of yourself Marinette, You've been my favourite chosen so far, I'll never forget you." The kwami turned to the bespectacled journalist and gave her what would have been a hard stare if she wasn't so cute. "You make sure she looks after herself." Alya looked surprised but raised a hand, standing straight in an almost military fashion.

"Ladybloggers honour." Tikki nodded with a smile and vanished in a sparkling cloud of red and black, leaving Alya and Marinette alone.


	2. Chapter 2

Mr and Mrs Dupain-Cheng pulled up in the hospital car park slowly with Alya and a very nervous Marinette in the back seat and they stepped out onto the grit coated pavement. Christmas was a mere three days away and the whole of Paris was blanketed in snow. The four disembarked and quickly made their way towards the reception entrance, Alya practically pulling Marinette along by her gloved hand as she trailed behind.

"Marinette, It's just a scan, don't be so worried!" Alya coaxed, laughing and rolling her eyes. Marinette flushed and trotted behind her, hugging her coat tightly around herself.

"There really isn't anything to be afraid of, you've seen it in movies before and your doctor already explained what would happen." Sabine gave Marinette an encouraging smile and the raven haired nodded, letting herself be lead to the reception where they where directed to the ultrasound department. They found another reception and sat down, Marinette looking around awkwardly at the other women at various stages of pregnancy, some with their partners, others with family and friends. "I remember when I was here for my very first scan when I was pregnant with you," Sabine said, smiling fondly and Marinette couldn't resist rolling her eyes. Sabine narrowed her eyes at her husband who chuckled. "If I do remember correctly, you forgot the date and went to play Rugby with your friends."

"I must admit I've never felt quite felt fear like that in all my life when you turned up at the match with the picture." Tom circled a large arm around his wife and Alya breathed wistfully. Marinette smiled, thankful when her name was called shortly after sitting down and she shot out of her seat.

"Nope, Don't even think of leaving, you have to eventually." Alya grabbed the stiff girls upper arms and began forcing her towards the nurse who was holding a door open with a kind smile.

"What if there is something wrong with the baby? What if it has two heads? No nose? A tail? What if the baby's-"

"Calm down mummy, you won't know until after the scan-"

"So there is a chance that i-"

"Marinette! You're being ridiculous!" Alya gave Marinette's arms a squeeze as she urged her towards the door while Sabine linked her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be fine. You'll be fine," Marinette couldn't help calm down in her mothers calming aura and smile, she couldn't help but think for the millionth time 'how does she do it?'. They managed to urge the stressed girl into the room and she sat on the padded seat as instructed while her parents and Alya sat on the seats near the ultrasound machine chattering excitedly.

"Hi Marinette, I'm Maia; your sonographer, today we'll just be doing your dating and NT scan and hopefully we'll be able to see baby. Can you lay back and lift your top up to your chest please?" The middle aged nurse smiled and went to the large intimidating looking machine and picked up a bottle of some sort of clear liquid. Marinette glanced at Alya who had shuffled her chair next to her and nodded, excitement clear in her face. She did as she was told, shimmying her jeans down to just below her hops and lifting her jumper to just below her bra, exposing the small but clearly notable bump of her stomach. The sonographer returned to her side, snapping a pair of latex gloves over her hands and shaking the bottle. "This might be a little cold." She sucked in a breath as the cold liquid was applied to the area below her navel and Alya's hand came up to clasp her own. "Now if you calculated the time of conception correctly, we shouldn't have much trouble seeing baby and I'll be able to give you a due date." Maia returned to the ultrasound and sat in front of it on the opposite side of Alya, putting her glasses on and picking up a probe like device and pressed the end of it to her stomach. She watched in fascination as the screen of the machine displayed a black and white image she couldn't make any sense of. The nurse moved the probe around for several tense minutes, pressing quite hard on her but not enough to cause discomfort until the screen displayed a roundish shape with a back and white outlining inside. Marinette's grin on Alya's immediately tightened.

"Is that...?" Marinette craned her neck as best she could from her laying position, looking at the image in wonderment. In the picture she could clearly make out what was a head, a body and two tiny little legs and arms.

"Yes, That is your baby. I can't see any abnormalities but I would like to take a blood sample just to make sure your levels are all okay." Marinette heard her words but they didn't register with the design student at all. The entire room around her disappeared from her conciousness as she watched the tiny little life inside her on the screen, occasionally a leg or an arm twitched and her heart felt like it might explode.

"Emma..."

"What?" Alya and her parents looked at her in confusion and she flushed slightly under their attention.

"Oh you already have names in mind?" Maia said warmly, removing the probe and typed at the computer attached to the screen before standing up and coming towards her again with one of those medical finger pricks. "Now I just need to take a blood sample and go and get a picture of the scan and your results, I can give you a few minutes." She pricked her index finger, pressing it against a tiny plastic vile so the blood could collect in it and exited the dimly lit room. Alya turned to Marinette and gave her a worried once over.

"Marinette?" she asked uncertainly. Said girl looked back at her best friend, her cheeks damp and a smile slowly spreading across as she cleaned off the remnants of the gel with some paper towels, trying and failing to hide the happy tears that spilled without her even realising. Alya and her parents stood, surrounding the girl and hugging her from all angles.

"Oh Marinette," Her father was close to bawling as he ever so gently encircled the three women in his massive arms, "My baby's girl is giving me a grandchild." The women laughed at his heartfelt statement. When they eventually broke apart, Marinette wiped at her eyes.

"So you think it's a girl?" Alya beamed, the name vaguely familiar for some reason. Marinette nodded.

"Yeah, Just a hunch. If I'm wrong it will be Hugo for a boy." Alya blinked, remembering where she had heard those names before and crossed her arms, trying not to let the tug at her insides show. Emma, Hugo and Louis where the baby names a much younger Marinette had fantasised about calling her's and Adrien's imaginary future children. Mr and Mrs Dupain-Cheng visibly warmed.

"I love them, Emma or Hugo. Oh Marinette you're going to be a wonderful mother." Sabine fussed, reaching to hug her daughter once more. Maia knocked on the door and entered slowly.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting. The results are fine, you're both perfectly healthy. Your baby is about nine centimetres and you are spot on 13 weeks and are at the end of your first trimester so you should experience less nausea, fatigue and morning sickness. I estimate your due date will be around June 14th." She held up a small plastic model of a baby that would fit comfortably in her palm and looked at it in fascination. "This is roughly how big your baby is right now if you're curious." She handed it Marinette and she took it, holding it unnecessarily carefully. Alya eyed the model like it was about to sprout teeth.

"Seriously? THAT'S what's been causing my girl to puke religiously every morning and spend a quarter of her day on the toilet?" Maia chuckled.

"Oh no, That is the baby now, it was much smaller when that all began. Here's your picture." She handed her a small picture of the image she had seen on the screen minutes before with her name and today's date printed on it. "Now we just need to book your next appointment and then you're done, I expect to see you back here in seven weeks for your Anomaly Scan." The sonographer lead them out of the room and back to the brightly lit reception they had sat in less than half an hour ago but it felt like they had spent hours in that room. They booked Marinette's 'mid-pregnancy' scan which was to happen on February 11th and they left the building. The atmosphere in the car ride home was far more relaxed, a new buzz in the air as the four discussed car seats, nursery themes and baby clothes. Marinette kept quiet for most of the journey, sitting legs bent up against her chest and stared fondly at the picture of her unborn catbug, tracing the image with her finger, caught up in her own little happy bubble. The happiness drained out of her a little as her mind wondered to places she would usually never allow it to, wondering how Chat would react if he was here right now. Would he fuss over her, pattering around her and examining her, making sure her every whim was tended to. Would he get emotional and cry and hug her like her father or would be be as cool as he always was and just hold her, telling her everything was going to be fine. Her thought trail was interrupted when Alya put an arm around her and pulled her so her head was resting on the the aspiring journalists shoulder, her thumb coming up to wipe at the wetness on her cheeks that she hadn't noticed.

"You okay?" She whispered, dropping her voice so the others parents wouldn't hear. She sniffled and nodded her head and repressing the thoughts that haunted her, little did she know Alya had just made a pact with herself that she would find out who had made that sad expression on her best friends face and punch him so hard where the sun doesn't shine so hard he wouldn't be able to to do it again to another girl even if he tried. "Now I may not know much, but I'd say a healthy dose of Gad Elmaleh, The largest serving of fries we can find and as many macaroons as we can salvage from the bakery are in order. Nino's DJ'ing for a party tonight so I have the place to myself for the night. What say you?" Marinette giggled.

"Don't forget the side of milkshake for dipping the fries in," Marinette commented in as if it was common knowledge, laughing at the brunettes look of disgust.

"I still don't understand that. At least you didn't have any REALLY weird cravings, My mum swore she used to eat gummy bears with hot sauce on toast every day for breakfast when she was having me," She shuddered.

"Oh that sounds like a good idea actually, do you have any hot sauce?" Marinette dissolved into hysterics at her friends look of abstract horror and revulsion. "I'm joking! That's disgusting!" Alya glared at her playfully - hiding her relief for having successfully distracted her from her own inner turmoil and seeing her friends unspoken gratitude in her eyes - as the Dupain-Cheng's drove them to the nearest fast food vendor and dropped them off at Alya's, giving their daughter a tight squeeze before leaving them to their girls afternoon.

* * *

Christmas was a day Adrien had been dreading. Back at his home it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience but at least he could escape his house and gate crash at Nino's who's family where always happy to have him over for their family party, treating him like a second son. He woke up very alone in his own apartment, not even his father around and slumped over the sofa in front of the TV, watching some 'classic' american movies while he sipped coffee and picked at a bacon sandwich that was slightly burnt. He had quickly discovered that cooking was far harder than he could have expected having spent his life being catered for by world renowned chefs his father hired for their everyday meals and had lived off coffee shop panini's, protein shake cans, subs and salad platters since coming to New York and when he had no choice but to cater for himself, instant noodles or cereal. Yesterday he had decided to get a little adventurous and purchased eggs, sausage and beacon but after an embarrassing round in his kitchen, the bacon had been the only thing remotely edible and he didn't want to be stuck with more than one day off with nothing else to keep himself busy by making himself ill. After whatever movie he was watching ended, he turned to the small Christmas tree Mark had insisted he put up which was very messily decorated but made him beam in pride, never having decorated one before. Underneath it where a small selection of presents from his friends back home and some of the representatives and other models at the agency he saw more frequently. Getting a little excited, he turned on some music and sat in front of the tree with his legs crossed and pulled the first thing he found towards him. He opened numerous bottles of champaign - all of French orientation he noticed - from his co-workers with cards he expected to be of 'designer' brands before he reached a messily wrapped present that could only be from Nino. Smiling to himself, he unwrapped it and found a copy of Ultimate Mega Strike 5. In the card stuck to it was Nino's familiar messy writing which hadn't improved much since school.

" _Hay Adrien, Hope you're not driving yourself into an early grave with work. Figured you'd have trouble finding this over there so don't forget to actually have some fun, wouldn't you wanting to turn into your father XD_

 _Happy Christmas bro_

 _Nino & Alya"_

Adrien grinned fondly as he set the card on top of the fire surround in the centre along with the other cards he had received. He returned to the tree and unwrapped 'Cooking Basics for Dummies' From Mark which made him laugh at the posibility that the man was psychic and found a very fancy looking parcel wrapped in pink foil paper next. He couldn't find a card or anything attached, opening it in confusion, he unravelled it's contents and found a note along with a picture. In the picture was a very recognisable woman he shuddered at the mere thought of, Chloe wearing a set of festively themed lingerie posing erotically, winking and blowing a kiss at the camera. On the back read "something for those alone moments this xmas" underneath it was a red smudge that looked like she had kissed it with the red lipstick she was wearing in the picture. Adrien looked at the items in his other hand and then back at the picture before throwing the offending garments featured in the picture across the room, thoroughly disgusted while his whole head burning with embarrassment. Seriously was that girl incapable of taking a hint? Or several rejections and him begging her to leave him alone? Throwing the offending items as far away from his person as possible, he noticed a present left he had overlooked, a larger present wrapped neatly in vintage themed paper. He examined it, not finding any note or tag attached. He tore the paper open curiously and a matching glove, scarf and hat set fell into his lap. He eyed them curiously, not finding any tag or label and realising they where hand made. They where silky soft, the kind of needle work only found with more expensive brands - some of which he had modelled at some points - in a soft green colour that matched his eyes. Feeling a little foolish he put the set on, noting a sweet and oddly familiar scent as he wrapped the scarf around his neck and breathing it in.

"Well this isn't creepy at all," He said to the empty room and trotting to a mirror in his bedroom and examining himself. The set was beautiful and suited him, even if they did look a little ridiculous over his worn Jagged Stone tshirt and sweatpants. "Who sent you?" The blonde asked his reflection, frowning at the stupid habit of talking to himself he had developed from spending so much time alone when he was young and still hadn't grown out of. He took the accessories off and placed them neatly on his dresser for the next morning. He looked at the new watch he had treated himself to, 3pm. It was far to early to call Nino and Mark had booked him a table at a fancy restaurant nearby in an hour for his Christmas Dinner as had refused the assistants offer for him to spend Christmas dinner with him and his wife. He got dressed and returned to watching TV until it was time for him to make his way to the restaurant.

Hours later he returned feeling stuffed and in much better spirits than he had earlier, having spent most of the evening talking to the restaurant's owners son who ran the restaurant between his studies, the two laughing and complaining about how strict parents could be and he had even warmed to the man that he didn't bat an eyelid when the temporary manager asked him to autograph a serviette for his younger sister and take a picture with him before he left, leaving a generous tip for the waiters and chef. When he got back he immediately changed back into his pyjamas, not wanting to sit around in the fitted suit for the rest of the day and dived onto his couch, looking around for something to do. His eyes fell on the bottles of champaign and Ultimate Mega Strike 5 and grinned, uncorking the first bottle and inserted the disk into his laptop and finding his controller. He played the game for hours, finishing the first bottle and breaking into the second one, not even bothering to use a glass this time until he decided he was to inebriated to play effectively anymore and set the controller aside. It was still only early and he was far to buzzed to go for an early night so he opened his browser in a moment of weakness, fingers hovering over the keyboard. Without really paying to much heed to what he was doing, he found himself browsing through the old blog that followed his and his lady's lives up until three months ago, the one ran by his best friends girlfriend. It came as quite a shock to learn that there was now a new Chat Noir but he scrolled down to older posts, knowing that someone else would have to take his place eventually. There was little activity from Ladybug for about a six weeks after he left before video's of her stopped being posted and he wondered if she had given it up because her life was now more preoccupied with that other guy she loved.

' _Stop it_ ' He told himself firmly, slapping his cheeks with both of his hands. He scrolled to posts dated before Hawk Moth had been defeated and smiled fondly as he watched video's of them together, fighting Akumatized villains, chuckling to himself as he watched his teenage self tasting various goo's and strange substances that himself and Ladybug had been covered with in numerous fights, all the times he got caught in a sticky situation but Bug would always be there to get him out and they would fist bump after purifying the Akuma and saving the day yet again. Before he knew it, hours of this had past and he was now sipping the dregs of his third bottle of champaign, curled up into a ball with a blanket pulled over his head with his arm hanging over one of the sofa's arms, head lolling as he fought the lull sleep. The room was in total darkness apart from the light emitted from his laptop's display when a green box pops up in front of the video he had been watching, indicating Nino was finally calling. Adrien jumped from his spot, tumbling off the sofa as the jingle scared the living daylights out of him and he scrambled to the keyboard from his place on the floor in front of the coffee table. Nino's face appeared on the screen, his cheeks are flushed and he is still wearing a paper crown along with an obviously hand knitted Christmas jumper.

* * *

Nino looked at the screen that opened when Adrien answered, the image almost completely black apart from the faint outline of the blonde who looked like he was sitting on the floor.

"Adrien?"

"Happy Christmaaaaaaas! Hold on, let me get the lights," Adrien stumbled off screen for a few moments and the lights came on, illuminating the room. The first things he noticed where empty bottles sitting on the table Adrien's laptop must have been on and there was a white bra sitting over the back of the sofa facing the camera with candy canes printed all over. Adrien stumbled back into view and collapsed in front of the laptop, leaning in close and waving, a lopsided grin plastered across his flushed face. A pang of worry immediately struck him as he noticed Adrien's eyes where bloodshot and swollen even on the screen in front of him. His frame looked a lot smaller than last time he had seen him, his slim build looking closer to unhealthily skinny. His once bright eyes devoid of the life they used to hold to a point even the DJ noticed. He wanted to ask but didn't want to push the closed-off blonde away by pestering him and turned his attention to the betraying article of clothing behind him.

"Woah Woah! did I interrupt something?" He pointed at the bra he could see in the background, raising his eyebrows in scepticism and laughing when Adrien turned his head to see what he was pointing at. The blond immediately brushed it off the back of the couch and out of sight, raising his hands back at his friend defensively and looking around for something.

"oh god no! No! a memento from Chloe," He holds up a polaroid to the camera featuring a snapshot of the Mayer's daughter wearing the undergarments and Nino laughed, laughter turning into hysterics when the picture was turned around to show a note written in elegant cursive with a red smudge of lipstick on it. "I'm glad you find it funny!" The blonde fumed at his friend

"Oh man this is priceless! Maybe you should send it to the local gossip magazine, or better yet her father!" Adrien laughed, a mischievous expression on his face.

"That's a genius idea! I'm going to find the -hic- address tomorrow!" Nino snorted.

"Okay I was only joking, that's harsh man."

"Naaa, I like it! Maybe it's abou' time daddy found - hic -out whatta little brat his daughter is like!" Adrien swayed even while sitting and Nino worried even further.

"Are you okay bro? You look like hell." The words slipped out without Nino meaning to let them and Adrien's uncharacteristically sly grin dissolved, he shrugged, the action exaggerated.

"Surviving. I had a moment of weakness. No big - hic - deal man." He waved his arms in the air sloppily, the grin returning. "Thank you for SMS3! You're a legend! They don't sell it over 'ere an I keep forgett - hic- forgetting to order it. Oh! One moment." He stood up, stumbling and catching himself on the arm of the sofa and disappeared again, returning after several minutes with a bundle of green in his hands, holding up a pair of gloves and a scarf. "Do you know - hic - who sent these? They came from France but there's no name on 'em - hic - I dunno where they came for." Nino shrugged, knowing full well who made and sent them, having overheard the conversation about them but knowing full well he would effectively be signing his own death certificate if he spoke a word of it.

"No idea, Maybe they're from your father?" Adrien grimaced.

"My father hasn't given me a Christmas present in two years, and the years before that they where from Nathalie, I don' Wanna talk about that, How was your families Christmas Party?" They engaged in small talk, Nino chatting animatedly about how his mum had attacked him with the jumper he was wearing and how his sisters taunted him about when he was going to pop the question to his other half. Adrien sat silently, listening to his words with a wistful smile on his face. They talked about how Adrien used to sneak out after Christmas dinner at his home and come to Nino's for their Christmas party when they where in school and how he missed it.

"You should come back soon, it's been three months already! I don't think Alya would mind if you stayed on the couch if you didn't want to go to your dads, Or you could just stay in a hotel or something." Adrien's smile dissolved and he shook his head quickly.

"No can do, to many -hic- memories." Nino's brows lifted, he leaned closer to the screen, Adrien had never really said why he had left Paris the same day as receiving a job offer when he had turned down so many just like it even since finishing school.

"What memories? I know your dad is a bit of a kill joy but surely it can't have been that bad." Adrien seemed to realise what he said and shook his head lightly, pulling up the blanket he was sitting on and wrestling with it until it it was draped around his shoulders. Nino could practically see him closing off like he usually did, his eyes drooping in his drunken state as he forced himself to stay awake. To Nino it was only 7.30pm but he knew it was much later and there _where_ three empty bottles of bubbly on the table in front of him.

"I don't want to talk about it." _As expected._ He was about to try another angle to get some answers when Alya's voice drifted in from the living-room.

"Nino who are you talking to?" Nino looks towards the door as Alya came in wearing her own jumper over yoga pants holding two glasses of wine. "Are you really going to leave me alone while I have alcohol, I don't know how much longer I can bare to sit on my own drinking," She leaned against the door frame pouting adorably, sticking out her hip in a way that highlighted her curves in a way that made his mind wonder to x-rated places.

"Just saying hi to Adrien, I'll be in in a minute." He immediately knew they where the wrong words to say as her rather enticing posture turned stiff, her lips pursing.

"Oh, Say hi to Mr American for me, Hope he's living it up in the states," her tone came out rather cold and sarcastic, his brows furrowed and he gave her a disapproving look.

"Hay that's a little uncalled for, I'll be out in a minute." She shrugged and turned around and Nino turned to apologise to the blonde, only to find him out cold with his chin resting on his chest, his laptop's microphone picking up his light snores. He gave him a once over and hovered his mouse over the 'end call' button, speaking once more before ending the call.

"Take care of yourself bro, you look like hell. Merry Christmas."

* * *

 **Why do I always write such angsty stuff?! Future chapters will lighten up, the whole thing won't be angst hehe.**

 **Now I Know Adrien is quite ooc here but tbf, He's in a country with no friends apart from someone who is only around him because he is paid to and he can't see his lady so I could picture this scene quite easily. Although the legal age to drink in the US is 21, It's 18 in France. As for Marinette's scan, I only had to go off what I could read up on so sorry if any of this is wrong haha. Gad Elmaleh is a popular comedian in France, He's actually really funny so you should check him out ^^ The waiter from the restaurant will be seen again in future chapters, I had a little to much fun writing the next chapter :3 As for Tom being into rugby, have you seen he size of him? he had to do something to get that huge and have you seen the size of those rubgy players?! XD**

 **I was planning on updating once a week so I stay ahead and consistent but I'm currently 1.5 chapters ahead of schedule so I may post a little more frequently :3 Reviews will probably make this happen a little quicker hehe (hint hint). Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! And thanks again for Totally Lucky for letting me write this again :3**

 **See you in the next chapter**

 **xX Aneki Xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the late upload, I was at comic con this weekend and haven't had any time to upload between the con and the after parties Saturday and Sunday haha. Would have uploaded on Friday but I was rushing to finish one of my cosplays so again, I really didn't have time :/ Glad I only had to proof read this chap or it might have been later. Anyways. I SAW LB, CHAT NOIR, MARINETTE AND ALYA cosplayers at con! I turned into a raving fangirl and ran at them screaming begging for pics, It must have been terrifying but we ended up fangirling about the series and exchanged pages ^^ Now I'm broke, happy, but broke haha.**

 **Also, I noticed a bit to late that I got the time zones completely backwards in the last chapter and I should know this because I speak to people in the US quite regularly and know how the timezones work, I'm an absolute idiot and hope you can overlook it but there will defo not be any mistakes like that in future and I will go back and fix it at some point this week, It won't affect the story so you don't have to go back and read it :)**

 **Anyways, on with the fic :) Sorry if this and the last 2 chaps seemed a little slow but the pace will be picking up as of the next chapter ^^**

* * *

It was an early start on this especially busy morning, Monday mornings where always intense but this particular morning even made the usually cool and collected model fluster and almost drop his coffee on several occasions. The usually bad traffic was especially horrendous, people yelling at each other from their windows, beeping their horns in agitation and cussing furiously about how late they where. Adrien sat in the passanger seat, tapping his knees impatiendly while sipping his coffee more often than was necessary. Of all days the infamous traffic in NY had to be at it's worst today.

"Adrien, you're going to have the jitters if you drink that so quickly." Mark chastised, smiling. The man had at first been an unwelcome reminder of how even when on a different part of the planet, his father had to try and control his every waking breath but upon getting to know his chauffeur a little better, he found the man was a god send. He did what his father paid him to do but he let Adrien choose when he wanted to have his English lessons and if he really didn't feel like it, the silver haired man would simply bow in some sort of unspoken understanding and reschedule around his work. He seemed to appear out of nowhere when Adrien needed some company when he was sat at home, offering to cook or to take him to some sort of local attraction but at the same time phasing into the background when he needed to be alone. Maybe it was years of experience but whatever it was, Adrien couldn't be more thankful for having him around.

"It was almost like having a real father but he wouldn't let himself think like that. He did what he was paid to after all even if he doubted 'morale support' was in his job description.

"Just nervous. The tabloid generally tend to rip you to pieces if you don't play by the rules," he said, lifting the now empty cup to his lips and frowning down at it as if the lack of coffee was to blame. Mark chuckled.

"I know this is your first interview but they are the press, not mercenaries."

"I'd prefer the mercenaries any day." Smirking slightly at the memory of how many times he had faced groups of enemies and danced around then gleefully, swatting them down like flies. He cleared his throat, repressing the memory and resumed tapping his thighs. They eventually made it down the few blocks left and he practically dived out the passenger door, running to the reception where a familiar representative from his agency stood, her usually perfect hair and suit was slightly dishevelled and she narrowed her eyes at him as he jogged to the sleek marble desk. Naturally he had to be stuck with Kendal, the most hated and unpleasant rep to get stuck with.

"You're late." She said through tight, well lacquered lips.

"Sorry, traffic." She rolled her eyes in obvious annoyance and dragged him off for hair and make-up closely tailed by Mark who translated for him when necessary. Hair and make-up came and went and the buzz of excitement did nothing to help his nerves but he grit his teeth, his English nowhere good enough for him to really make sense of what the buzz was about but he could understand enough to put him on edge. Since his first job, his career had exploded across various magazines and billboards everywhere he looked. Clothes, shoes, cologne, hair products, glasses, watches, he had been hired for the lot by various companies and he had only been here for three months. Now he was being pushed into an interview with one of the biggest magazines in the USA, one he didn't have a chance at talking his way out of and flat out refusing without good reason would cost him his job. Once H&M was done he was finally lead to another room that reminded him of the recording studio at the TV station back home. Three small expensive looking leather chairs sat around a glossy table and in front of it was a camera, the crew flitting around adjusting light and moving the furniture around while the interviewer, an eccentric looking man in a well tailored suit bounced on the balls of his feet while someone touched up his make-up. Adrien immediately turned around to his agent, livid.

"You never said anything about the interview being filmed! I thought it was a for a magazine!" Kendal raised her brows a fraction of an inch.

"It is, said magazine also has a website they like to broadcast their interviews on as well as print the manuscript." She gave him a patronizing pat on the shoulder and leant down to him. "Atleast they can't twist your words. Don't fuck up the agencies reputation."

The model glowered at her resentfully. If he was nervous before it was nothing compared to now. She pursed her lips and he wheeled around, trying not to storm away or let his rage show. The excitable interviewer caught sight of him and practically danced towards him, swinging his hips far more that was necessary as so many did in this industry.

"Ah Adrien! It's a pleasure! You're even more gorgeous in real life!" The man grabbed his hand and Adrien mouthed the word 'help' over his shoulder at Mark. The man gave an encouraging smile and trotted to his seat between the interviewer and the blonde. The interviewer sat down gracefully and reached over to shake both their hands. "Sorry, where are my manners, I'm Bunny, loosen up a little! I don't bite unless you want me to." The man laughed and Adrien listened to Mark as he translated for him, suddenly feeling queasy and uncomfortable but he smiled tightly.

"That's quite alright, and thank you for inviting me here today." Bunny seemed to flutter in his seat,

"Oh honey that accent, beautiful. Alright, down to business. So we're just going to ask you a couple of questions, readers everywhere are dying to know more about the mysterious French dream boy who appeared out of nowhere and took the industry by storm," he gave an excited little shuffle, wiggling his eyebrows in a way that made the blonde even more uncomfortable if it where possible. One of the crew members came over and spoke to Bunny and clapped his hands together, mark translated for him.

"Thirty seconds until recording." Adrien tried to relax his posture, looking around nervously and before he knew it, the camera man signalled and Bunny began his introduction. He asked questions about his career and what brought him to New York and he answered, managing to force his 'model' persona throughout, smiling, nodding and answering as required of him. He managed to keep himself composed until Bunny asked him with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"So do you have someone special in your life? there must be someone special you keep hidden away." Adrien froze but managed to brush it off, unconsciously reaching for the back of his neck as he reached for the answers he had rehearsed days previous.

"Sorry to disappoint you but no, I'm to focused on my career to be looking for love."

"Shy AND beautiful! But surely there is a special someone? Maybe a high school sweet heart back in Paris? Or maybe it isn't women that take your interest?" Adrien visibly paled, he needed a convincing answer and fast. He didn't trust himself enough to keep himself in check, he hadn't managed to smother his own feelings effectively enough just yet. Forcing a smile he laughed nonchalantly, trying to claw onto his diminishing false confidence. ' _When did I become so unstable?'_

"How could I possibly have time for romance when my father runs one of the worlds most successful fashion brands?" Bunny wilted a little in disappointment but quickly moved on to questions about what it was like being an Agreste and how he found living in New York. The questions where very personal and probing and it took all the blondes will to repress the words of hatred that would surely be plastered across every headline from here back to France about how his father neglected him and discredit the Agreste fashion empire along with the agency. Eventually Bunny gave a short closing statement and they waved at the camera before someone shouted 'cut'. Adrien stood and made to leave but was quickly hoarded into another room for the shoot he had completely forgotten about and it was many hours before he was dismissed, slipping between crew and staff who swamped him and he escaped into the Cadillac's passenger seat, mentally and physically exhausted.

"You handled yourself very well today," Mark said as he slid behind the wheel and revved the engine. Adrien sighed heavily in response, sagging against his seat. "Now I may be wrong but I'm a firm believer in the fact that jumping the next plane to another country to run from your problems, heartache, family issues, whatever it is, is not exactly a healthy one." Adrien's head shot up and he looked at the assistant in bewilderment. He kept his eyes on the road as they pulled away but continued. "But it's not going to just disappeared, you will have to face your problems sooner or later." They dissolved into silence while Adrien mulled the words over before responding.

"It's a little different when you're the problem. Remove the problem. Make everyone happy." Mark frowned, humming in thought.

"But is the sacrifice worth it?" The question hung heavily in the air and Adrien bowed his head, resting it on his knuckles as he leaned against the the window, his heart heavy as the question loosened his resolve.

"I don't know anymore." He bit his lip to stop it from quivering. "But I made my decision, I just want to make those I care about happy, even if I had to leave them behind." A few minute of silence trailed by until Mark broke it once again.

"You know, When I was young, Yes, I was young at one point, I watched a friend fall head over heels in love with a girl but she was infatuated with another," Adrien's head snapped around in surprise. "He reminded me a lot of you, young, attractive, kind hearted, a good hit or so he liked to believe-" Adrien wrinkled his nose, his cheeks turning pink "- But the girl he loved eventually turned to hate him because she saw him as a barrier between her and the other boy so he left, jumped the next flight he could find away from France and left his whole life behind. I do believe he was happy but he always had that looming loneliness that haunted him." Mark sighed, a nostalgic smile crept across his ageing features which confused the blonde. Adrien fidgeted, feeling intrusive and not wanting to know more but unable to help himself. Why the man looked so happy Adrien couldn't understand.

"Do you know what happened to the girl he left behind?" Mark gave his signature chuckle.

"She married him, they had a son, it didn't work out as he was too controlling and they divorced years later. You see the other man didn't really love her and nobody really knows what changed but I believe money had a lot to do with it, she was the hair to a wealthy family of course." Adrien stepped out of the car as they finally pulled up at their apartment block, lost in thought, all sorts of questions circling his mind. If only he had known who Ladybug was, he might have answers. What if the other guy she loved was cruel? What if he hurt her feelings? What if he made her feel like she was anything less than amazing in every way, shape and form? A headache began forming as he waited for the lift to reach his floor. "I'm sorry for telling you that story, Like I said you remind me a lot of my friend, I do apologise." Adrien nodded, not tearing his eyes away from his shoes while lingering behind the assistant as he lead them to their floor.

"She- She was amazing." He breathed a heavy sigh, a tiny smile pulling at his lips as he let the memory of her smile, only her smile, flash across his mind. "She was my everything but she loved someone else. I'd do anything to make her smile.£ He trailed off, biting his cheeks to stop the tornado of emotion that racked his brain from surfacing and shook his head. "What happened to your friend?" Adrien blurted out, flushing at his little confession and reaching for anything to change the topic. Much to his amazement, Mark practically beamed.

"That's a story for another time, but he lead a long and happy life." Adrien raised his eyebrows in surprise, his curiosity pushing him to press but not wanting to be rude and we all knows how the saying goes. He thanked the assistant once more and they parted ways at his front door. For the first time in three months he woke up the next morning feeling we rested and refreshed from a sleep untouched by his usual nightmares.

* * *

Alya sat at her desk at an ungodly hour of the morning, head slipping from its place on her palm and she startled, jumping a few inches off her chair and fumbled for the pen that had slipped out of her hand for the umpteenth time. She stared down at her notes as she had every few nights for the past month before smacking her pen against her notepad, arching backwards over the back of the chair and thrusting her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"Alya?" A sleepy voice came from behind her and she almost fell back in the chair, whipping around to see a dazed Nino rubbing at his eyes in a way she found ridiculously adorable. "You should come back to late, it's bed." He screwed up his eyes, "Let me try that again, it's 3am, you should come back to bed."

"I'll be back back soon Nino."

"You always say that," He tsked, coming over and dragging his desk chair over next to hers to look over the pile of notes, newspaper clippings and more notes that completely covered her desk. "How is the search going?" Alya immediately threw her hands into the air, slamming her notepad closed, banging her forehead on top of it.

"It's so frustrating! Every time I think I've found something I end up back at square one! Why can't she just tell me who the father is?! That would make my life so much easier!" She let her head rest on her boyfriends shoulder, making a whining noise into his shoulder and he put a hand on her head in comfort.

"Maybe she doesn't know?" Alya leaned away from him in mock disgust, the mere thought was ludicrous.

"Nino. Honey, Have you MET Marinette? She's about as likely to have a one night stand as a nun!" He leaned in and gave her a kiss, silencing her animated rant.

"I love you when you get sassy," He uttered with a cheesy grin plastered across his face when they broke apart and she playfully slapped him away. She tried to give him an unamused glare but couldn't stop the corner of her lips from curling.

"You're not helping." Nino pulled the closest piece of paper to him and tried to make sense of it, failing epically.

"And not sleeping isn't going to help either. Maybe Marinette won't tell you for her own reasons, maybe she's embarrassed or doesn't think you'll approve-"

"I know she has her own reasons for not telling me and it's nothing like that or she'd tell me anyway, Which is what makes me even more determined to figure out who it is. If some asshole thinks he can get my girl pregnant and just disappear and leave her like that then I'm going to track him down even if the only thing I get out of it is burying the bastard myself before someone else gets the pleasure." Nino's previously droopy eyes shot open and he quickly decided that attempting to tell her to calm down would probably make him enemy number 2. It was times like this he missed his best friend, He knew how to deal with women better than Nino did. He chose his words very carefully.

"Look, Maybe Marinette won't tell you because she wants to forget and move on, Why can't you let her?" Alya looked up at him defensively before sighing heavily and slumping against him again, her arms snaking around his waist.

"Maybe you're right. I'm not really being a good friend by dragging this out, and behind her back to top it off. I just want to face him once and ask why he left. What am I supposed to do? First I find out my girl was LB all along, then I find out she can't be her anymore. Next thing she's pregnant. There's a new Chat, Adrien left the country without so much as a warning and Marinette is depressed and I just have to do something!" She froze where she sat, skimming over her research and looking over her notes, scattering bits of paper as she looks for specific pieces of information and then moved her mouse to wake her computer up again and went straight to her old blog she had barely touched over the past year or so.

"W-wait, You're gunna be up for another few hours aren't you?" Nino said, feeling his energy drain as he watched her spring into life. "Alya, sweetie. Please just leave it for tonight, you have work in a few hours."

"Just a second." She went straight to the 'theories & comments' section of the Ladyblog, unable to comment or contact anyone who posted in case Marinette looked at the blog and noticed her digging, no matter how much she doubted her friend would look at it now after having to give up her miraculous. She scrolled through the comments and sighting pictures from over three months ago, looking for something, anything. Eventually after much scrolling, she came to a thread someone had started of LB - namely Marinette - and Chat on top of a roof. One clearer video in particular catching her eye. It looked like the civilian had taken the video from the garden of the house Ladybug and Chat where standing on and it looked about as close as she was going to find. She clicked play on the video and waited while it buffered. She watched the scene play out. There was no sound other than a TV from somewhere close by and some late evening traffic while Chat and Ladybug greeted each other, they had some sort of exchange and Marinette turned away from Chat who stepped towards her. Alya turned up her speakers to max to try and let her hear any of the hero's conversation when Marinette turned around, her face one of hurt and rage and she said something at Chat which made him visibly flinch. The two stood still for several moments before Chat bowed and ran, the observer following him as he loped from building to building, disappearing into the night. Alya sat back in her seat, the gears of her brain grinding together.

"What could they have been arguing about?" She thought aloud, chewing the inside of her cheeks. The rest of the video played, the camera turning back to Ladybug who had sank to her knees, the street lights reflecting off the wet streaks on her face and it tore Alya's insides up watching her friend hurting so much. In the video, Marinette sank to her knees, extended forward and picked something unseen up off the floor and held it close to her face before running off. Alya's eyes widened as watched and she replayed the video, putting it back to the moment Ladybug leant forward and put the video into full screen mode. She watched again, leaning in close to the video trying to make out whatever it was that she picked up, asking what it was out loud like it would answer all her questions. even on her twenty four inch monitor, she still couldn't make out what it was. She captured the entire scene frame by frame and opened each picture in separate tabs. She studied the each picture, zooming in as much as she could without distorting the image too much and then went back to the point where Chat ran off and seeing the small black box dropping from his pocket. She spent a good half an hour flicking between each frame, not even noticing that Nino had fallen asleep and was currently drooling slightly on her shoulder before she slammed her hands down on her desk and stood up, sending papers, pens and other items flying in all directions. Nino jumped, toppling out of his seat in terror at his other half's sudden movement.

"Alya Jesus! You nearly gave me a heart attac-"

"Chat HAS to be the father! He has to be! Look at this!" She shouted excitedly, leaning towards her monitor and almost touching it with her nose before standing back and pointing at the screen triumphantly. He studied the picture before looking back at her in bewilderment.

"He made her cry?" Alya slapped a hand to her forehead in irritation. She pointed at something the former Ladybug was holding in her hands and increased the brightness of the display. He squinted, seeing her holding what looked like a box with something small and sparkling inside it.

"What guy in this day and age proposes to a woman without having some kind of intimate relationship?" Nino looked between the screen and Alya, letting it sink into his sleep depraved brain.

"So maybe I was right?" He asked hopefully. Alya's triumphant post slouched and she slumped forward shaking her head.

"Maybe you where, Marinette would know where to find Chat if she knew who he was, or at least be able to contact him." She lifted her head, a comical expression of annoyance and trudged towards the door. "Marinette said she didn't know who Chat was. My best friend is an idiot. And that sleezy duchebag! He just left after one little argument! Sure the timing was bad and all but what the hell? Wait until I get my hands on him. Okay, I'm coming to bed. I'm done with today. DONE!"

* * *

 **So Alya is getting close to the truth! And this is almost at the half way mark unless I write an extra chapter but hope you enjoyed anyways, I'm still loving writing this fic! Hope you enjoyed and leave a review if you can, I need to know what you think :)**

 **Until next time :3**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hay :) I have no idea of how this chapter got so long but here it is :D One extra long chapter to make up for the late update last week ^^**

 **So me and my partner are going to be cosplaying LadyNoir for an upcoming comic con that has a cosplay ball in it so we're doing formal versions of them and since I got my partner addicted to Miraculous he's taken to calling my 'My Lady'. HOW DOES MARINETTE NOT JUST FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM? It's the soppiest but sweetest thing ever! Like seriously everytime he calls me it I melt XD**

 **Anyways, Miraculous Ladybug and it's characters is property if Zagtoons and Unexpected Surprise is the intellectual property of Totally Lucky. I own nothing.**

* * *

Adrien took a slow leisurely walk towards the port where his next photo shoot would take place, on the owner of the label owners private yacht on the Hudson. Although it was officially the first day of spring, there was still a wintery chill in the air that had him hugging the soft green scarf tightly around his neck. He had hours before the shoot started but Mark calling to say he was down with the flu left him without a driver and he decided a nice walk would do him some good. He kept his eyes trained on his phone as he flicked through his playlist, readjusting his headphones into a more comfortable position and he turned a corner without looking up, oblivious to the chaos that had cars piled up to the ends of the street. When he did eventually look up, he took his headphones off, shocked to see people getting out of their card or running in the direction he was walking. Looking for the source of all the chaos, he finally caught sight of a building a few blocks ahead that had several police cars pulled up around it and a small crowd of people where beginning to form around the building. As if on instinct, he sprinted in the direction of the building, a place he vaguely recognised as the restaurant he had spent half of Christmas day at and he gasped as he noticed the abnormal orange glow coming from the ground floor. _Fire._

It didn't take him long to reach the crowd formed around the building and he waded through the mass of observers until he reached a wall of officers who had formed a perimeter around the area, blocking off civilians from getting any closer. Over the shoulder of the nearest officer and spotted a familiar looking brunette with a much taller and broader version of him arguing with an officer who was blocking them from entering the building. Even from this distance and with the roar of the fire and crowd and sirens Adrien could still pick up their arguing.

"My wife and daughter are in the top floor! If you don't move I will move you myself!"

"Sir, Please stay calm and step back, there are trucks on their way, they'll be here any minute and we'll get them out safe and sound." The officer speaking knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with the infuriated men and just continued to block them from running into the fire. Adrien observed the fire, saw it as it seemed to raise through the building, the windows on the third floor where already starting to glow from the blaze within. There was an ear splitting bang and the windows of the restaurant exploded outwards, showering the model and the rest of the crowd with glass as the flames flared out and scorching everything it touched. The restaurant owner and his son's fight to run head first into the building where renewed tenfold and several officers ran to restrain the two including the one closest to Adrien who had been keeping the crowd at bay. Someone screamed from above and Adrien spotted a silhouette against the glare at the top most window. Adrenaline pumped through him as the crowd around him screamed and shouted and he finally heard the very distant blare of sirens approaching. Every voice of reason in his head screamed that they would be okay, the firemen would arrive and the woman and child trapped on the seventh floor would be hauled to safety but upon observing the flames, he judged that they had about three minutes before the entire building was engulfed in flames and given the traffic, the fire truck wouldn't get here for more than that. Without a second thought he ducked under the people surrounding him, discarding his gloves and ran to wall, testing his grip in the cracks between the bricks and hoisted himself up, using the various sign posts that had been lodged in the brickwork to hoist himself up quicker. By the time an officer noticed him he was already past the third floor row of windows and he ignored the shouts of people behind him, out of their reach for them to pull him back down. Despite the situation, the climb was exhilarating. He felt a freedom he had long since forgotten although it was a hell of a lot harder than the last time he remembered. He reached the window with the woman and her daughter and climbed in with their help. The flames that had engulfed the door at the other end of the room where slowly making their way across the walls and catching onto the furniture and heavy black smoke clouded his vision the moment he stepped into the room, he covered his mouth with the scarf.

"Right, I'm getting you out, is there a fire escape close by?" He asked, praising himself a little for how well his English was coming along and unable to stop himself for putting his hands on his hips like he used to, oozing confidence and feeling right in his element. The woman held her daughter close to herself calmed down a fraction, looking him up and down as if he was an insane person who had just broken out of an asylum and straight into her house.

"No, the fire escape is on the other side of the building, by the time I noticed the fire it had blocked the stairs," She shook her head, her panic rising as she tried to comfort her daughter by shushing her and rubbing circles on her back.

"Mommy, is the fire fwghter coming soon?"

"Yes dear, They'll be here any minute." Adrien frowned and looked back out of the window and at the door. The fire truck still hadn't pulled up and the flames had spread half way through the room already and where gaining speed as they consumed the spacious room. He turned back to the woman with a look of determination and put a hand on each of their shoulders.

"I'm getting you two out of here, I can climb down with you one at a time. Do you trust me?" The woman's eyes shot wide open and she stepped away.

"You're insane! I don't even know who you are or how you got up here but you can't possib-"

"I've done this before, don't worry, I promise I will get you two down safely, trust me on this," He cracked a cocky grin even if he was only 95% sure of himself. He had rescued people from burning buildings before but non this high up and not without his superpowers or his baton. The women eyed him up and down, eyes widening in recognition and she looked worriedly from him to her daughter and back before slowly setting the little girl down on her feet.

"Promise you will get her down safely?" Adrien nodded and knelt down to the child's eye level as her mother prayed her off her legs and turned her around towards him. "Sky, sweetie? This man is going to get you out of her, You be a brave girl and do whatever he says okay?" She gave the little girl a squeeze and she finally turned around, looking up and recognition lighting up her face.

"Adwien Agwetse?" said blonde smiled and nodded, leading the girl to the window.

"Hello Sky, now I need you to be a really big brave girl and climb on my back and hold on as tightly as you can, we're going to have a little game of Spiderman and I'm going to climb down outside with you on my back. If you think you might let go, just tell me okay? Your daddy and big brother are waiting for you at the bottom." The little girl nodded and he squatted so the girl could climb onto his back as instructed. He unwrapped his scarf and swung it around Sky's back, tying it tightly across his chest for extra security. "Are you ready?" He felt her nod against his shoulder and carefully climbed up no the window frame, lowering himself and being extra careful in finding his footing. He gave the worried mother a reassuring nod and began his descent. The journey back down was a lot more nerve racking than up and the screams from below didn't help. Heartbeat pounding in his ears, he stopped half way down and dared to look around at the little girl he could feel shaking, her grip on him tight. "Now don't look down, I need you to look up and keep an eye out for goblin and make sure he does not come and try to fight me. Can I trust you?"

"Yes sir! And why would the Gobwin come to fwight you?" Adrien puzzled but continued his descent, carefully shifting to avoid a window that was spouting flames.

"Because I'm Spiderman, why wouldn't he come to find me?" He kept his focus on his grip but kept up the conversation, glad Sky had stopped shaking as it was making it hard for him to shift his weight when he needed to.

"Because you're Shwah! Shwah always fwought against Akmahs!" Adrien didn't try to understand what the young girl was talking about and continued down, happy to find his foot hitting the sign he had passed on his way up, he only had a few feet to go.

"Sky! Keep holding tight! You're almost there!" Adrien finally got low enough to let go and let himself drop to the floor and he was immediately assaulted by the terrified father and his son, not waiting for him to untie the scarf Sky's father lifted her out of the hold and into a hug. He didn't wait another second before climbing back up, this time getting to the top window much quicker than the first time having memorized the best places to grip and pulled himself onto the window ledge. The whole room was ablaze by now and the mother was pressed against the wall next to the window as the flames inched towards her, less than a meter away from her.

"Get on my back quickly! Sky is safe! There isn't much time!"

"I can't do it, I'm to heavy! You won't be able to carry me down, we'll both fall!" Adrien caught the woman's arm and gave her a reassuring squeeze, trying to give her the most self assured grin he would, his tone firm and confident.

"No we won't, Your family are waiting for you, are you going to let me face them if I don't bring you down to?" She eyed him again, breaking into a coughing fit and trying to wipe soot out of her eyes before pursing her lips and letting him pull her towards the window. She climbed on his back as her daughter had done minutes before and he descended once again, her legs around his waist and arms locked around his shoulders. His breath was coming in pants and he had to stop to rest every floor, his arms beginning to scream at him in protest as he fought to keep his grip with the extra weight, sweat beading on his forehead and making it harder for him to find leverage on the rapidly burning building. Running purely off adrenaline, he stopped just below the third story window.

"What's wrong?" The woman asked immediately, adjusting her grip. Adrien looked down biting his lip and testing his next step down and took a deep breath.

"I'm going to fall if I try to go further, Don't panic! HAY!" He shouted as loudly as he could, grabbing the men in uniform below's attention and snapping them out of their daze as they watched him climb down. "In a minute I'm going to drop her, Can you catch her?" The officers looked at each other dimly before rushing below.

"You're what?!"

"Don't worry, I'm going to lower you down and drop you, there are," He did a quick head count, "eight officers below who will catch you so don't worry, it's only a couple of feet. I need you to move to my side." She trembled but did as he instructed and move around. He tightened his grip on the window ledge, ignoring the burning he felt on the top of his fingers and let one hand go, hooking an arm around her waist firmly. "Okay, Now slide down me, yes that's it. Now let go of me." The woman took a few breaths and he lowered her so she was only holding onto him by his hand. His grip on the ledge was slipping but he forced himself to remain calm so as not to terrify the civilian. "Now I'm going to let go in three okay?" She nodded briskly, "Okay, one...two...THREE!" She did as he had instructed, her grip sliding from his clammy hand more than letting go and he swung his hand back to grip the ledge, watching as she was caught awkwardly by the officers below. He took a few seconds to readjust himself when there was a mighty explosion from in the building. His fingers slipped from their grasp and he fell backwards, nothing to grasp onto as he plummeted towards the ground and out of reach of anything to catch himself on. Out of force of habit he reached for his lower back but remembered he wasn't Chat anymore and gasped. He hit the pavement and his head snapped backwards meeting the stone and all went black.

* * *

"Are you sure you guys don't mind helping me? If it's to much trouble I can get my parents to help." Marinette fluttered around her bedroom, moving small items around and looking at the stack of large, flat pack boxes stood against her wall that contained her new baby furniture. Alya and Nino had arrived a few minutes ago, Alya dancing on the balls of her feet in excitement at helping her best friend convert her bedroom into a part nursery. Marinette was fretting and continuously brushing her hair behind her ears as she danced back and forth trying to plan out how everything should be arranged, her baby bump big enough now that she had had to start buying maternity clothes as her old clothes no longer fit her. Alya cought her by the shoulders and forced her into her pink and white desk chair, tutting at her the raven haired's antics.

"Calm down mummy, remember? No stress. We wanted to help right Nino?" Nino nodded happily behind her with a goofy grin. "Okay, You sit here and tell us where you want everything." Marinette looked horrified. "Don't argue with me gurl, heavy lifting is bad for Emma, or Hugo. Lets go with Emmago for now since you keep changing your mind." Marinette crosses her arms. deadpanning.

"I'm pregnant, not an invalid!" Alya laughed and straightened, surveying the room. "Are you going to redecorate if it's a Hugo?" She asked, frowning at the pink that was...just about everywhere.

"Well I'm not planning on staying here for to long, I graduate from design college soon. just before Emmago is due and I can help my mum and dad while I'm here and do some work from home until I can find a job and move out. Hopefully I won't have to bother my parents for long after the baby is due." She chewed her lip, looking downcast and Alya rolled her eyes, having long since gotten used to how her friends moods went up and down in an instant and how she fretted over her future.

"What's the rush? I almost miss my little 'angel' sisters at home. No bills, no having to wake myself up of a morning-"

"And no having to deal with my dirty laundry or snoring?" Nino cut in with a smile. The girls chuckled.

"Anyway, back to business. You don't even need to rearrange the furniture much, just childproof everything. Sewing supplies need to be in a locked cabinet, that shelf needs to go, it's an accident waiting to happen," She pointed at a pink set of shelves with a variety of knick knacks piled on it. Marinette nodded and pointed at the open space in the far corner of the room.

"I was thinking of setting up the crib and rocking chair there, it's the quietest corner of the room and it's just above the kitchen so it should be the warmest. And the changing table can go over there. The little wardrobe can go over there next to the crib. The stuff on that cabinet can be boxed up and put in the loft and get rid of the shelf, mum already bought me a new one so I can put that up in it's place and use it for sheets and nappies and stuff like that." Alya followed her friends description, making a list of things she would need to do and squealing slightly at the picture of what the room would look like once it was done, she knew Marinette would only pick the cutest of furniture and could already see it. She trotted towards the pile of boxes she had brought with her and picked the first one, tossing it to Marinette, chanting much like the two girls had when they where in school.

"Okay, project nursery is a go! Me and Marinette will clear these shelve, Nino, you can start putting together the wardrobe-" She pointed at the flat pack boxes, "-Once we're done, you can disassemble this unit and we can put the crib together. Then we stop for snacks and then," She listed off a plan of action while Marinette and Nino rolled their eyes and nodded. Soon Nino was opening the top box from the leaning pile while Marinette and Alya began taking books, plush toys and all sorts of small items off the large shelving unit. After an hour or so, Nino caught sight of a small black box shoved behind the tower of Marinette's computer and glanced around at the preoccupied women who where busy laughing and chatting as they cleared the shelving unit. Risking it, he slowly reached towards the box, leaning over as if he was working on the wardrobe and grabbed at the tiny box, glancing over his shoulder in regular intervals to make sure he hadn't been caught in what felt like an illegal act. He opened he box and found the familiar looking white gold band set with a single yellow diamond and surrounded by many smaller ones, recognising it from the video he and Alya had watched only a few months ago. The ring was dazzling and undoubtedly ridiculously expensive. Just who was Chat to be able to afford a ring like this? What struck him much harder was the unbearable nagging thought at the very back of his mind that he had seen this particular ring somewhere before.

"Nino? How're you doing with that?" Nino almost tossed the ring in the air in surprise as his back shot up, straight as a board and he turned his head, snapping the box shut and hiding it from sight in his hands.

"G-great! The instructions aren't helping much." He fumbled over his words but thankfully, he would live to see another day as the two weren't looking his way.

"Well hurry up, we're almost done here, Do you need help?"

"Nonononono, I'm fine. Leave the man jobs to the man," Alya stopped and turned at him with a raised brow and a hand on her hip.

"You're having trouble with it aren't you? Let me see those instructions." She walked towards him and he shook his head while Marinette was turned away. She stopped and tilted her head to one side and he flashed the box he held for a fraction of a second and Alya's eyes widened.

"Is it to much? I can get my dad to help me assemble it if it's to much trouble."

"No, all good here." Alya said quickly, giving Nino the clear sigh to put the ring back _right this second_ before he was caught red handed and returned to help the expecting mother. Nino quickly replaced the ring and quickly assembling the wardrobe. Once the women where done clearing the shelf, Nino went to disassemble the unit and Mr Dupain-Cheng appeared from the trapdoor that lead downstairs with a platter full of various crackers, cheeses, snacks and treats.

"How are things coming along here?" He asked with a smile. Marinette snatched the plate up and placed it on a clear part of the fleer after planting a kiss on her fathers cheek.

"Great! We where just about to stop for a break, Everything should be done by tonight."

"Yeah, We'll only be a few more hours. Tom gave an encouraging smile.

"Well don't hesitate to call me up if you need help, it's pretty quiet downstairs so your mother can handle it on her own for a while. Don't overdo it Marinette." Said girl rolled her eyes as she sat cross legged on the floor, Nino and Alya joining her around the platter.

"She's in good hands Mr Dupain-Cheng." Tom chuckled.

"I don't doubt that but you know what she's like," He winked at his daughter fondly.

"Daaaaaaaad." He smiled and closed the hatch, leaving them to it and they talked as they ate, Marinette sitting with a hand resting protectively over the swell of her baby bump she could no longer disguise under loose fitting clothing.

"What's that you're working on anyway?" Alya asked, pointing at a pile of fabric at her crafts table she had noticed earlier.

"I'm making baby clothes! They're going to be so cute! I'm making some pink and some blue, when I know the sex I can sell the ones I won't need and-" Marinette caught herself and stopped, pursing her lips. "I'm sorry, you guys must be sick of all the babytalk. Let's talk about something else."

"No not at all, I love baby talk! I'm going to be Auntie Alya after all!" ALya did an excited little shuffle where she sat and Nino rolled his eyes. Marinette bit her lip and looked at Nino.

"Umm, I was actually wondering.. Umm. Have you heard much from Adrien?" Nino paled a shade or two, having been made quite aware that talking about his best friend was a definite no no. His eyes shifted to hers and she narrowed her eyes in a way that clearly read 'watch what you say'.

"Um, I haven't spoken to him in a while... He wasn't doing so hot at Christmas," He saw a flash of anger on his other halves face and tensed and groped for a different topic, laughing as the memory surfaced. "Chloe sent him a pin up photo of herself along with the underwear she work in the picture!" The group erupted into laughter, Marinette being the first to sober.

"Why wasn't he doing so hot?" She asked, worry etching it's way into her features. Nino mentally kicked himself for bringing it up.

"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me. I think he was just a bit lonely or something because he's up there on his own. He was fine the next time I spoke to him," He chuckled, "He may or may not have got wasted Christmas day." Marinette's mouth hung open in shock. Alya gave him a warning frown and he started panicking, he was sure to never see the light of day again.

"I hope he's alright," Marinette looked down sadly, cradling her stomach and looking lost in her own thoughts. Nino immediately felt guilty for saying anything. He viewed Marinette like his little sister and he didn't like seeing her upset.

"He's fine, he had a tough time with his father when he was younger and it wasn't until he was in school that he made any friends besides Chloe if you can even call her a friend. He really is aright now, last time I heard, he was at an interview for a magazine and because he said he didn't have a girlfriend and wasn't interested in a relationship, the interviewer tried to make out that he's gay." Both girls looked up at this and burst into hysterics once again wiping tears from their eyes.

"Oh no..that's to much.." Marinette wheezed.

"Hay, you never know, he never showed any interest in anyone back at school, we just knew he liked someone." Alya bit her tongue, regretting her words the moment they slipped from her mouth. Marinette immediately went from happy to downcast and you could almost see the storm clown form above her head. Alya would have shot him a dark look but she was more concerned with cheering up the mother to be.

"I wish he would come back but I don't even want to know what he would think of he like this, pregnant and single and all."

"Now that's the hormones talking, nobody and I repeat, NOBODY looks this hot pregnant!"

Before thinking, Nino said the absolute worst possible thing he could have said, his over protective, big brotherly side getting the better of him as he watched the innocent girl looking so helpless.

"Man, As much as I doubt it, if it turns out he was Chat all this time, I'm going to beat the living daylights out of hi-" He realised far to late as two pairs of brown and blue eyes widened, the brown ones in rage and the blue ones in shock. "-um...ah crap."

"Nino!" Alya looked nervously between her boyfriend and Marinette, said girl petrified, not moving an inch.

"you... what do you mean?" Marinette's voice was so quiet but each word hit Alya's heart like a bullet, gilt overwhelmed her and she bit her lip.

"Um, I..I came across a video of you and Chat the last night he was seen." She swallowed the lump that had began forming in her throat and shot a look at Nino who paled. "We where going to break it to you geantl-"

"What do you mean break it to me gently?" Marinette snapped back to her senses and stood up, backing away from the couple, her words laced with betrayal and hurt. "Why did you look into... I asked you to..." She stuttered, backing into her desk and tripping over her feet as she fumbled to grasp the edge of her desk and failed. Alya and Nino immediately dived forward, catching her under the arms before she hit the floor but she shrugged out of their grasp and backed away again as soon as she found her footing.

"Marinette, I just wanted to try and find who he was, try and find him and bring him back after I kick his ass for leaving you." Marinette looked at them angrily, trying to find the words to argue for invading her privacy but struggling. Alya pressed her defence. "I had an idea to get him back. It's a stupid idea but it's better than nothing. Since you don't have your miraculous anymore, you could make a Ladybug costume and make a video asking him to come back, wherever he is he'll see it eventua-"

"No."

"But Mar-"

"No, I already have to live with the fact that I chased him away and hurt him. I don't want to publicly humiliate myself again. I'll find him my own way," She announced firmly, hands balling into fists and shaking slightly.

"But you don't know who he is! And I'm sure he just needs a reason to come back, He freaking proposed! Don't look so surprised, I saw the whole thing, I saw you arguing." Marinette flushed in embarrassment, her eyes glazing over as her expression turned to regret.

"I...I need to be alone. Thank you for helping me today but I think you should go." Alya approached the raven haired, guilt tearing away at her.

"I'm sorry Marinette, I was only trying to find him so I could... I just wanted to... I'm sorry, I just hate seeing you so down about everything...I"

"I'll find him my own way. It's all my own fault." Alya saw her friends eyes glaze over even though she looked away to try and hide it and embraced her best friend as best she could with her bump. She could feel the smaller shaking under her and it made her feel even worse.

"Okay, I promise I won't dig anymore unless you want me to. I'm so sorry. I want to see him pay for leaving you and I couldn't stop myself." Marinette blacked away to look at the brunette.

"Non of this is his fault, I chased him off. I want to see him so I can say sorry for what I said, I told him I wish I had never met him because I was so in love with someone else!" Alya immediately wanted to argue, angry at the smaller for blaming herself for everything. How could any of this be her fault? He got her pregnant and left after a stupid argument, sure the timing was bad but that's no excuse. The words died on her tongue as the smaller gave her a squeeze and then dried her eyes, putting on a brave smile.

"Let's just forget this conversation. Thank you, for caring I mean, but just let me deal with it okay? If I ever find him I want to be the one to do it. Can we get this stuff finished?" Marinette gave a pleading smile and anything Alya had to say froze in her throat, the tension in her disappirated and she smiled, Nino still in his place on the floor watching the exchange like his life literally depended on the outcome.

"Alright, Nino, you take down that shelf, we'll start working on the crib." The three got back to work ,trying to act as if nothing had happened and the tension in the atmosphere eventually gave way for the easy air that had been there earlier. Alya swore to herself as soon as she got home she was dumping all the files and research she had gathered and would never bring it up again.

* * *

It was bright, unbearably bright when Adrien slowly drifted back to conciousness, dark shadows loomed above him and his head throbbed with a passion, blurring his vision and blanketing his senses. His ears rung with white noise, drowning out all other sounds and he blinked several times, trying to clear his vision and raising an arm to block out the suns glare as it partially blinded him.

"Everyone move back!" Someone was shouting and the shadows above him vanished, one remaining and he felt himself being forced into a sitting position. A torch was flashed in his eyes and he squinted against the intrusive light, his head pounding as he tried to shoo it away. "Easy there, You'll live, you're insane you know that? Can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up." Adrien blinked again and a paramedic holding his hand in front of him. He groaned.

"Four fingers and a thumb?" The paramedic chuckled and let him drop his head into his hand so he could try and rub the fogginess away.

"Okay wise guy. Think you can stand? Looks like just a graze and a concussion, consider yourself THE luckiest idiot to walk away from a fall like that." Adrien managed to get to his feet and was escorted towards an ambulance, mainly being held up by whoever was linking him. They urged him to sit down on the edge of the back of the van and an oxygen mask was held over his mouth, breathing deeply as directed. A Space Blanket was put over his shoulders and he sat hunched over as he let the clean air from the mask cleanse him of the smoke he had inhaled, his back aching with a passion and making movement uncomfortable. Someone was behind him examining his head where it had hit the pavement and an icepack was put into his hand and he held it to the back of his head with some prompting.

"Shwah!" A little bundle of excitement ran towards him and gripped his knees, looking up at him with wide, worried brown eyes. Adrien leaned back, startled as she jumped up and down in front of him. "Shwah are you okay?" He nodded and smiled, putting a hand on her head and ruffling her bouncy curls. An older, male version of her ran up behind her and picked her up.

"Sky! You need to stay by the ambulance," The man turned towards him with rage. "What where you thinking? You idiot! What would have happened if you fell? Jesus do you have a death wish?"

"Is your mother okay?" He cut across the boys scolding rant and it threw him off guard. He looked back at another ambulance, seeing his mother being checked over and sighed.

"She's find."

"I'm fine!" Sky pipped up excitedly. "Shwah saved me! Shwah saved me!" The temporary manager let his sister down as she began jumping up and down in his grip, rolling his eyes with a chuckle and knelt on the ground, giving her a severe look.

"Sky, please stop pestering Adrien, the paramedics need to make sure he's okay and they need to give you a check up aswell, you can thank Mr Agreste later." The little girl turned back at the blond with those worried eyes again, her lower lip bobbing.

"Do you pwomise?" Adrien hummed in amusement and nodded slowly, regretting that decision as it made his head spin.

"Yes I'll see you again, I really like your Restaurant." The girl broke into a toothy grin and ran back over to the ambulance, leaving her brother alone with the model.

"I don't want know if I want to punch you or hug you, you nearly gave me a heart atta- No, that's not what I should be saying. Thank you. Thank you so much, I don't know what would have happened if you weren't here." Adrien shook his head - cursing himself - feeling uncomfortable under the brunettes gratitude.

"S'nothing. They're safe, that's all that matters. By the way I never caught your name?" The brunette regarded him, raising an eyebrow at how he dismissed his injuries like they where nothing.

"Dude you really are insane. Kevin, call me Kev. Do you happen to remember being here at this restaurant on Christmas day?" Adrien nodded, smiling at one of the first pleasant memories he had made here in the US. "Do you remember me saying about a certain little sister who was obsessed with you?" Adrien looked back at said little sister and snorted.

"Why does she keep calling me 'Shwah?' At this, Kev burst into laughter, declaring;

"She thinks you're that French hero Chat Noir because you're French and sorta look like him. She thinks you came to New York after you had a fight with that...Ladybird? Lady-Ladybug! She has this whole story that you had a fight with Ladybug and ran away, I'm guessing you've heard of them? Honestly I don't know where she gets she from." Adrien's eyes shot open, eyeing the little girl who was being checked over by one of the paramedics. He forced a chuckle and rolled his eyes.

"She certainly has an wild imagination." Kev nodded, carding his fingers through his hair in embarrassment.

"Anyway, I better head back over there. Umm, if you even wanna hang out, here's my number. All my old friends moved away an I'm going to have a few weeks with nothing to do while the restaurant is being renovated. If you're ever free... and you said you wanted to learn how to cook..." He gave the blond flushed and gave a nervous smile, holding his phone up. Adrien's owns shyness took over but he grinned ear to ear, clumsily fumbling for his phone. The two exchanged numbers and Kevin left to join his family with another round of thanks. Adrien tried to stand but a paramedic immediately rushed over and forced him back down.

"I need to get to wor-" He tried to excuse, the paramedic looking down at him with amused disbelief.

"Kid, you really are insane. Is there anyone you can call to take you home? You need to go home and rest until that concussion passes." Adrien tried to push against the paramedics hold but gave up as it only made his head spin more. "Easy!" The blond bowed his head in defeat and tried to make his fingers coordinate but the simple task of opening his contacts proving more than he could handle as the screen swayed and split into two as he tried to focus on the words. "Here." The paramedic offered a hand and took the phone from the smallers hands. "Who are you trying to call?" He thought about that for a couple of minutes and then looked at him in frustration.

"There isn't anyone, my assistant is sick and I don't know anyone else well enough, I only moved here a few months ago."

"Seriously? It wouldn't be a good idea for you to be on your own. And you won't go to the hospital?" Adrien shook his head. "What about your friend over there?" He followed where the elder was pointing and saw Kevin talking to his father.

"I don't really know him very well." Adrien couldn't help the warmth flair up inside of him like the very first time he made a friend on his first day at school. The paramedic frowned and stood tall with his hands on his hips.

"Well since you saved their lives and all I'm sure they can sort something out for you, It wouldn't sit right with me to let you just go home in a cab." The man walked over and Adrien watched in horror, trying to call out to stop him but coughing when he tried to raise his voice. The paramedic jogged over, to far away for the model to hear their conversation before the paramedic came back with Kev in tow.

"Hay, do you need a lift home?"

"He needs someone to watch him for the next few hours." The paramedic gave the brunette a nudge with his elbow.

"No worries, I can stay with you for a couple of hours, my mom and sister are alright, My dad will be with them."

"It's really not nessecer-"

"Yes it is, you can't go home alone." As they where arguing, Adrien's phone started ringing, still in the paramedics hand. He took it and answered it with some trouble and was greeted by the fretting voice of one of the agent, Darla, who was supposed to meet him at the port for the shoot. He listened silently while the woman ranted about how he was supposed to be there fifteen minutes ago, completely oblivious to the sound of sirens that where still going off in the vicinity. Adrien tried to say something in his defence but was completely ignored so he settled for sitting silently until Darla was done with her rant, growing increasingly more irate as her voice grew more and more shrill. Eventually he put her on loud speaker and spoke close to the mic so he would get her attention.

"I'm sorry I can't make the shoot, the paramedic won't let me go anywhere other than home!" There was a few breif moments of silence.

"Wait, paramedics? What happened?" Adrien heaved a sigh.

"It will probably be all over he papers tomorrow. I'll call you later. Sorry again I couldn't make it, I'll be at the office tomorrow." With that he cut the call and turned his phone off, breathing deeply from the oxygen mask he was still holding at the thought off the ear bashing he was going to get for this tomorrow. He eyeing the reporters who had raced to the scene and where running around after several officers with cameras and microphones in hand, snapping pictures of the building and him. He averted Kevin's eyes, feeling pathetic and hating having to burden someone like this. "Okay, Where is your car?" Much to his surprise, Kev beamed.

"I'll bring it around, think you'll be okay to walk?" Adrien let himself be ushered to his feet and leaning heavily on the brunette, they slowly started making their way to the car parked opposite the restaurant.

The next morning it only took twenty minutes of his co-workers crowded him, calling him 'Mr. Hero', flashing the morning newspapers in front of him and handing him letters from a variety of local news papers and letters from fans for him to decide he couldn't deal with this as his head began to spin and he had to grip a nearby desk to stay upright. They fussed over him, forcing him into a chair and handing him a water, even Kendal looked mildly concerned, before one of the directors approached and sent him home, saying he didn't want to see him back for a couple of days. Someone called im a cab and he was slightly relieved to be able to sit on his sofa reading over the letters that where currently piled up on his coffee table. He cast the pile aside, still occasionally feeling dizzy and rubbing his temples as another headache flared up and sinking further into the comfortable chair in his own happy little bubble. He remembered spending hours talking to Kev who, when not in front of customers at the restaurant or with his family, reminded the blond a lot of Nino, goofy and a bit of a dork. Sighing happily, he felt giddy at the realisation that he had finally made a friend after five months of leaving his life behind.

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 **Sorry if there are a lot of mistakes in this chapter, I didn't have time to proofread it properly AND get it uploaded on time. Hope you enjoyed and please leave a review! They keep me motivated and I really need it at the moment since any time I get for writing generally cuts into my sleeping time at the moment with how busy I am haha.**

 **If you're wondering why Adrien was having trouble scaling the building, he's worn out and all adorably angsty and I think I did mention in the last chapter that Nino noticed he looked thin, poor guy just doesn't eat enough! T.T Anyways, There was supposed to be another chapter after this which I've cut out because I decided I didn't like the idea so there is only 3 chapters left to go for this fic, I'm going to be so sad when this finishes as I've enjoyed writing it so much!**

 **Thank you all so much for reading, following, favoriting and reviewing, I will respond to them! Until next week :3**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hay guys, I'm really sorry I'm late again this week. Between work, the last weekend before the main comic con of the year Kitacon I go to (eeeeekkkkk!) and deciding literally two weeks ago "I wanna cosplay Ladybug for the cosplay ball but lets make things hard and design a stupidly ridiculously complicated LB themed dress I don't have NEARLY enough skill for and leave myself with only 2 days to make it, eeeh why not it's the cosplay ball and I bribed my kitty into doing a suited and booted Chat so let's just forget what sleep feels like and DO IT"... yeah that happened... (It's not finished but I ended up setting it as my profile pic, I feel so purdy! XD) I had some extra time off with bank holidays but I've spent every moment slaving over my sewing machine.**

 **At least this was already written so I just had to find time to proofread it... less sleep for me again but totally worth it! Thank you for sticking with me through this! not long to go now and you won't have to put up with my terrible grammar/spelling/general writing.**

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"If you ask me one more time then I'm going to throw you out, well, try, just go!"

"Are you sure you don't mind? This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity and the chances of it ever coming up are just about zilch." Alya sat on her knees with her hands on her very heavily pregnant best friend who at that moment was looking down at her, biting her lip to stop herself from laughing. By heavily pregnant, she mean a week overdue. Winter had melted into spring and eventually gave way for summer and it was a stiflingly hot evening but the raven girls room was icy cold. The three air cons that had been set up around the room to keep Marinette comfortable made you expect a light to come on when you opened the door. Marinette's due day had came and gone uneventfully and her excitement and nervousness turned into excitement and down right fear but no matter what, she always put on a smile. At that particular moment, Alya had just received a call from the TV station she had an apprenticeship with saying one of the reporters had fallen ill and there was nobody available on such short notice for a job at the Agreste summer line launch party. Alya had barely left Marinette's side for the past two weeks but this was to good a scoop to miss.

"Go already! Doesn't it start in like-" She checked her imaginary watch, "-now? I'll be fine, if anything happens I'll call you. Go have fun! It even includes a plus one so take Nino." Alya beamed.

"You better call me if anything happens or I'll kick your butt all the way to the hospital! I need to get going, I'm taking out that little beauty you made me for my birthday for a spin," With that she gave Marinette a hug and ran towards the trapdoor leading downstairs and outside. Within an hour she had ran home, made herself look somewhat presentable, pinning her hair up and putting on the body hugging, crystal adorned black dress made of luxurious duchess satin. While she put on her makeup, Nino took a shower and emerged from the bathroom and put his suit on, Alya stopping and holding her mascara wand mid stroke as she took a few moments to admire his well sculpted body through her mirror before groaning a little when he slipped his jacket on even if him in a suit was just as desirable. She finished putting her face on and grabbed her camera and notepad, preferring good old fashioned pen and paper to her tablet to make notes on. They called a taxi and where at the Agreste manor in no time, Nino offering his arm for her to clasp as they walked down the red carpet that had been laid out from the front gates leading up to the house lined with all sorts of elegant light features and floral arrangements. She stopped herself from squeeing sever times as they passed an array of celebrities from the fashion and modelling world.

"Okay Alya? You gotta chill, keep it cool, You look amazing," Nino whispered in her ear, ghosting her every step and only having eyes for her since they left their apartment, following her in a luck struck daze as they circulated the grand entrance that had been transformed into a reception. Nino had only been here on one occasion when he made a fool of himself in front of Mr Agreste so many years ago. The place hadn't changed a bit apart from the tables and various displays of ice and fire along with large prints of magazines the new line was being advertised on that where dotted around the room. Alya gave him an unusually compliant smile over her shoulder, nodding in agreement and she started taking pictures of the room, guests and anything she could use. Nino stood by her feeling a little uncomfortable as Alya talked to some of the guests and made notes, He took a glass of champaign that was offered by a passing waiter and stepped against a wall out of the way so he could watch his amazing woman in her element. He watched the party from a distance, happy to take any food or drinks that where offered to him and walked into the next room, curiosity taking over as he walked around the Agreste mansion freely, having never seen inside his old friends childhood home. It struck him that this was an opportunity he couldn't afford to miss and he slipped into another room which turned out to be a dining room that was empty and wondered to another door that lead off into what looked like a living room that had been partially transformed into a reception area. After a long time of wondering, he finally found a corridor that lead to a stairway, the sounds of the party outside coming from another set of double doors that looked like they lead into the back garden. He climbed the stairs and found more halls lined with doors. Seriously, _HOW big was this place?!_ After peaking into several rooms and finding nothing, he finally opened a door to a large bedroom, by large he meant the size of his and Alya's entire apartment. There was a vertical climbing room, a half pipe, a spiral staircase that lead up to a miniature library and a bed that looked bigger than his own bedroom. The bed was left unmade bot everything else was pristine. Nino stepped into the bedroom and looked around, admiring the three oversized monitors that Adrien had left behind in owe. On the wall by the monitor he noticed he noticed various pictures pinned to the wall, the only thing that indicated that the room belonged to Adrien. Some of the pictures had fallen down and there where patches on the wall that showed where they where. He gathered up the pictures that had fallen and looked through them. Pictures of a much younger, happier Adrien when he was younger with a blond woman who couldn't be anyone but his mother, some of the pictures had Mr Agreste in and it was odd seeing him almost looking happy. One picture made the DJ smile, a shot of toddler Adrien with Mr and Mrs Agreste somewhere in the country side, probably or 8 year old Adrien was throwing grass in the air at his mother, childish glee radiating from his face while his mother who was also laughing, looking down at the small blonde adoringly. The last picture came as a surprise to Nino, one of a certain retired superhero at close range, the photographer could have only been a few feet away. Marinette, the resemblance so obvious Nino chuckled at how much of an idiot everyone was not to figure out her identity years ago, was frowning slightly at the camera, her brows furrowed in something like a frown but she grinned at whoever had been taking the picture. Where had Adrien got a picture like this from? Surely he would have told the DJ if he had got this close and personal with Ladybug. The background of the picture showed nothing but clear blue sky and there was nothing in it to indicate where the picture was taken.

"What else did you keep to yourself?" He wondered aloud, looking at the pictures once more. They told a story of someone who had once had a happy life but after the blondes mother passed away and was then forced into solitude by his father until he was eventually allowed to go to school. It was quite sad to see, Even if the Adrien had acted as normal as was possible given his special family circumstances, he never really opened up and kept everything bottled up. Nino shook the thoughts out of his head and replaced the pictures in what looked like their rightful places, there where several patches of discoloured wall left after he ran out of photos, probably ones Adrien had taken with him in a rush as he left with almost no notice. With a heavy sigh, Nino left the room, sneaking back the way he came and rejoined the party, acting like he had never left. It wasn't long after he Alya spotted him and walked towards him in relief.

"Where have you been? You won't believe who I got to agree to an interview with the magazine! The-"

"Alya Césaire?" Alya was cut off as Mr Agreste dressed in an impeccable black suit approached them, a hint of a smile on his face as he addressed Alya politely. Alya's eyes shot open at being addressed my the man and she glanced at Nino, not sure of what to do before forcing a smile.

"Mr Agreste, Thank you for inviting someone from the magazine to the party, you're home is beautiful."

"Thank you. I look forward to reading the article in the morning. And you are?" He turned to Nino who visibly shrunk in on himself, remember the last time he had faced the designer and cringed. If he was lucky he had forgotten but it appeared luck was not on his side. "Ah, I believe you where one of Adrien's class mates? Nice to meet you again, I'm glad you grew out of your headphones and thug style. I see a woman did you some good." As if the comment was nothing, Gabriel turned back to Alya with a polite smile. "Now I know this may be a little personal but I believe you are a friend of a certain Miss Dupain-Cheng? An old employee of mine teaches at the college she graduated from and she always sends me references for the students with the most potential if I where to ever receive any applications for internship from them and she sent me a favourable reference and some interesting work for Miss Dupein-Cheng's. Could you kindly let her know I hope to see her CV at our next opening?" Alya had been looking at Mr Agreste with disapproval but her jaw dropped and she started nodding rapidly.

"I-I will, thank you Mr Agreste." Said man nodded.

"It would be a shame to see talent like that go to a competitor. I hope you enjoy the rest of the night."

"Thank you! Although I must disagree with you sir, I think Grunge Chic is making a comeback." Mr Agreste raised a brow at her challenge, rolling his eyes the tiniest bit as Alya gave her partner a wink and turned away. A deflated Nino instantly perked up at her words and caught her hand in his the moment the designer had turned his back, about to tell her she was an idiot for challenging him like that. "What? I have to hold my tongue for the sake of ever getting a job with any magazine ever but I had to say something." Nino only brushed his lips against her neck and planted a kiss under her jaw.

"You're too good for me. You seriously just sassed Gabriel Agreste right now, That was hot..." Alya laughed, pushing him away playfully.

"And you need to stand up for yourself a little more. I'm just going to call Marinette and tell her the good news and check up, get a few more pictures and then we could go home, This isn't as much fun as I thought it would be." Nino nodded in agreement and let her wonder off, saying he'll be waiting in the ball room. He went for another walk around and found an abandoned table in a quieter corner where he could sit and watch the party progress. He spotted an oversized family portrait of the happy family that once lived in this mansion. He studied the picture, seeing an actual, genuine smile on his old buddy's face when something drew his attention in the picture. He took his big goggle like glasses and stood, crossing the room and edging closer to the painting, fording through guests unnoticed until he was standing at the foot of the gold framed portrait. The object of his fixation was the delicate hand resting on Adrien's shoulder, more specifically the white gold band with it's feature yellow diamond set with smaller clear diamonds around it. He stood staring, rooted to the spot as recognition, then disbelief, shock and finally nausea swept over him at a dizzying face. He fumbled in his pockets for his phone and took a picture, attracting disapproving looks from some nearby guests and then he made a run for the exit. He called a cab and jumped in, ordering the driver to get to him home as fast as was legally possible. He sent Alya a text saying he felt sick as he had drank a little to much and practically threw the cash at the driver when he finally reached his apartment building. He raced up the stairs, only stopping at the door and vocalising his agitation at not getting the key into the lock fast enough before running to his desk and switching his laptop on, ignoring the chime of his phone. He opened up video chat and found the person he was looking for in his contacts list and wrapped the desk with his knuckles impatiently as he waited for the other to answer the call.

* * *

Adrien sat in his home sulking, flicking through the channels restlessly. He had called off any sessions he had with Mark today as him and Kevin had made plans to to go and see a movie and then go bowling but Kevin had called last minute to say had college work to do, the fifth time running. Adrien wouldn't call the brunette a liar but since it was the fifth time running and the last time he spoke to him over the phone, he ended the conversation as quickly as was polite, Adrien was starting to get the impression Kev just wasn't interested in hanging out. Grumbling, the model dropped the remote and went into his kitchen to look for something to eat for dinner, Kevin's father had kept his promise and tried to teach Adrien how to cook but it quickly became apparent that anything beyond salads, basic pasta and boiled eggs that where as simple as possible where the absolute limit of what Adrien was capable of without accidentally poisoning anyone. Adrien on the other hand was quite pleased with what he had taken from the few days he spent ghosting the restaurant owner around his kitchen having never been able to cook anything before and pulled the ingredients out of the fridge to make pasta. Halfway through cooking, he heard a familiar jingling, being sure to turn the stove right down, he sat in front of his laptop, spirits lifting as a picture of Nino flashed up on the screen. When he accepted the call, Nino's dark room appeared with an oddly angry looking Nino glaring at him.

"Hay Bro, What's up? You're up late," He smiled, just happy to be able to speak to someone but was shut down instantly by the infuriated DJ.

"Ok bro what the hell? I mean WHAT. THE. HELL. is wrong with you? I didn't think you had something like this in you! I don't even know what to think!" Adrien recoiled, turning the volume down as Nino nearly deafened him, the disgust in his old friends words disorientating the unsuspecting blond who shook his head to clear it and crossing his arms defensively, almost childishly.

"Ok back up a sec, what the hell? what have I done?"

"What do you MEAN what have you done? you know exactly what you've done! Alya is going to murder you when she gets her hands on you, an man I'm talking cold blooded murder. And they she'll probably kill me in blind rage!"

"Nino I don't know what you're talking about! What have I done?" Nino kept quiet, Adrien feeling his eyes all over him like he was right there in the room and tried to make himself look small, confused and uncomfortable under the accusing tone. Nino remained silent, scrutinizing him with accusation written all over his face until it evaporated, leaving something that resembled pity mixed with something else, like he was seeing Adrien for the first time. He palmed his eyes thinking before he spoke reluctantly.

"You really don't know... How could you not know?" Adrien's stomach turned, what had happened? and what could he have done that Nino would look at him with such disgust? His mouth ran dry at the bewildering outburst made his stomach knot.

"Nino you're freaking me out, what happened?" Nino studied his face for a few more seconds, Adrien wishing he was right there so he could slap or shove him out of his thoughts and just tell him before the DJ exploded in...excitement?

"Ooooh man I'm so happy you don't! Really! This is good, no great, no.. well I'm not because this would have saved my girl a whole lot of sleepless nights but I knew you weren't that kind of guy!" His current excitement lapsed for a moment and a flicker of dread appeared in his eyes, "Well, um... I have some big news for you, just don't freak out okay?"

"Nino seriously, what are you on about? You not telling me is freaking me out!" Adrien leaned closer to the screen, growing irritated with his friends temporary lapse of sanity.

"Ok, just give me a moment." Nino took a deep breath to calm the excitement that was rising in him, each second driving the blonde closer to snapping.

"Nino!"

"Okay okay! Tell me honestly, When where you going to tell me you where Chat Noir?" _Well that was unexpected._ Adrien paled and remained silent. That would have been more than enough of an answer but Nino wanted to hear it straight from the cats mouth. "Where you?" Eventually and very slowly Adrien nodded. Nino jumped up and down in his seat grinning like a madman.

"Ok that's good. That's really good! I want a full explanation on why you never told me but that can come later. Ok now tell me why you left. The whole truth!" Adrien instinctively shut down, leaning away from the screen as if physically trying to dodge the topic.

"I don't really want to ta-"

"No dude. You need to tell me. You're going to tell me right now or we're getting nowhere." Adrien blinked a few times, bewildered by Nino's forwardness, it reminded him a little of his girlfriend who seemed to be rubbing off on him, the usually shy DJ Adrien grew up with was far to laid back for this. Adrien met his determination with his own stubbornness and crossed his arms again.

"Can't you just tell me why you called acting like I kicked someone's puppy? If you're just going to keep going like this I'm hanging up." Adrien regretted those stupid words, there was really no need for him to act so cold. Nino softened a little.

"S-sorry, I'm getting to it, I promise. I just need to clear a few things up first so I can make sense of everything. Really you'll thank me later, or maybe you won't, I don't know..."

"Nino you're making me really worried, what's happened?"

"I'll get there! Just tell me EXACTLY why you left. I need to know in detail." Adrien looked down at his hands resting on his lap, one hand instinctively reaching for his neck, the weird nervous habit he still had and he sighed heavily, talking towards his keyboard.

"I... its hard to explain... I.. I love ladybug. I loved her so much it hurt and when she finally started to get close she told me she wished she had never met me. She loved some other guy and apparently I was distracting her from him so I left her to be happy with him," Adrien caught his bottom lip between his teeth, biting back tears that tried to escape as the well of emotions he gave them words. "Nino what does this have to do with anything?" He tried to hide his eyes behind his bangs but his voice betrayed a little of just how much he was hurting.

"I'm getting there. Just bare with me," Nino grimaced apologetically before continuing. "Did you and ma-ladybug ever get...you know...intimate?" The again sudden change in conversational direction made Adrien's cheeks burn with embarrassment, looking at everything but his camera and gave a ghost of a nod. The more odd questions Nino asked, the worse the knot in his stomach writhed, anticipation peaking as to where all of this was leading to. Nino did another triumphant jump in his seat, whooping and punching the air like a passionate fan at a football game. The display made Adrien flush even more, his eyebrow twitching irritably at the reaction.

"Ok ok, do you remember Marinette Dupain-Chang? The girl who used to sit in front of you in school next to Alya? The one who was crushing you harder than Chloe since you started school?" Adrien nodded slowly, if he was confused before, he was outright dumbfounded now, his brain starting to pound as he tried to make sense of just about anything.

"She was crushing on me? I never noticed, I thought she didn't like me, she was always really awkwards," -H _ow could I not notice her? If I wasn't so in love with his lady he would have tried to ask her out._

"Seriously? You're far more of an idiot that I thought. Anyway, are you ready for this? LB turns up at our apartment 6 weeks after you left then untransforms right there in our living room! It was Marinette all along! Anyway, she took off her earrings and gave them to this little creature called Tikki and it disappears. Her and Alya cried for hours after and life went on." All the colour that had build in Adrien's face drained as Nino talked, realisation slowly dawning on him, crashing over him with such a force it made him shiver. Ladybug. His lady had been right in front of him. Literally right under his nose for years, easily within reach.

"Marinette was...?"

"Yeah! And well... she... I don't know how to break this to you bro... she's pregnant, like, very pregnant, just over nine months actually." If there was any colour left in the blonds complexion, it disappeared as his exhausted brain tried to do simple maths, counting backwards. 9 months. It had been just over 9 months since he left for America, since he and his lady...

"You're gunna be a daddy Adrien." The words had a similar effect to being shot with a paralysing dart. Adrien froze, every fibre of his being freezing in place as he processed the words, Not moving, barely even breathing. He felt like he might faint as a mind became somewhat unhinged, a thoughts in total calamity. He distantly heard Nino calling his name but the room could be collapsing around him and he wouldn't notice. The only thing that made any sense was that one small fact.

"Ladybug is having...a catbug?" Adrien gasped for breath, the air feeling heavy around him and he felt like he was suffocating. "Marinette is having my..." Eventually, Nino's words started getting through his mental implosion.

"Ladybug didn't want to be with Chat-you, because she loved Adrien-you. I saw everything man! Someone video'd you and LB the night you two argued, I saw the ring and I was just at your dads house with Alya at a party, I know I'd seen it somewhere! Marinette still has it!" Nino's happy words barely reached the blonde, his focus swaying in and out and he felt dangerously close to fainting. Ladybug was Marinette, Marinette was pregnant. Ladybug loved someone else, Marinette had had a crush on him for years apparently. Marinette was having his child and he had ran. "So now you need to get your behind on a plane and get over here so you and Marinette can ride off into the sunset or whatever and Alya will let us live."

"I need to...get behind... a plane..." Nino turned away from the screen for a few moments answering his phone while Adrien was lost in his own thoughts, the inability to draw air making him dizzier by the second until he heard Nino shouting.

"Whatddya mean she's in labour? She can't be! Not yet!... Nonono Nothing, it's nothing, I'll tell you when I see you...mhmm... yeah I'll meet you there, love you, bye." Nino turned back to the camera with a determined expression in his rapidly paling features. "Marinette's just gone into labour, oh my god, Marinette is in labour! Dude how fast can you get here?" Adrien finally managed to take a deep breath, drawing air properly for the first time in minutes, grabbing the corners of his laptop and pulling the device closer to himself in terror matching Nino's.

"Marinette's in-"

"Yes Marinette's in labour! So you need to get back to Paris right NOW or Alya really will kill both of us! I'm going to tell her as soon as I see her, maybe she can slow it down, hold it in or something I don't know!" Adrien stared at the camera dumbly before his numb mind slowly regained some basic functions.

"I think I can be there in eight hours, does Marinette know?"

"No I haven't told her, I haven't told Alya yet, I only figured it out at your dads party not even an hour ago."

"Good, don't say anything, I need to tell her, I want to tell her face to face" Just in case she doesn't want me to be there, don't say anything to anyone before I get there or she might stop me if she's still mad at me. Except Alya! Alya might be able to help if Marinette doesn't want to see me." Nino nodded, a smile breaking across his face.

"I knew you where a good guy. I'll see you soon!" Nino waved and the call ended. Adrien cursed as he jumped up from his seat so quickly he kneed the heavy mahogany table painfully and hopped towards his bedroom and pulled his suitcase from under his bead and tossed anything within arms length with his phone caught between the side of his face and his shoulder, his endlessly helpful and resourceful assistant picking up on the third ring.

"Good after-"

"Mark I need a jet! I need to be in Paris as soon as possible, I don't care how much it costs, I'll empty my account, if it isn't enough I can put it on my credit card, that should be enough-"

"Adrien slow down, you're not making any sense. Okay, why do you suddenly need to be back home? Has something happened to your father?"

"No no, It's..." His shoulders tensed, uncertainty, fear and a spark of excitement at war with each other inside his heart and head. "Please, I can't even begin to say how important this is, I can't really explain, not yet. I'll tell you later but right now I need to.." He lost the ability to speak again as all his warring emotions quilled, only leaving warmth, his love for his lady taking a hold of him with more vigour than ever, bitter-sweet thoughts of seeing her again making his hands shake and his eyes burn. "If I'm not there soon I might just miss the most important moment of my life. Just whatever you do, don't let anyone find out, I don't want to draw my fathers attention until I can explain to him to." The line was quiet as Adrien pictured the elderly man raising his brows sceptically, maybe a slightly knowing smile pulling his wrinkled mouth.

"Okay, I can have a jet waiting for you in an hour. Get yourself to the airport."

"T-thanks Mark, Thank you so much," Adrien gripped the phone tightly to stop them from shaking so much as the other line beeped and went dead. He packed his clothes and laptop and some essentials, making sure he turned the stove off as not to burn the entire block down when it occurred to him that he might never return here, If his lady wasn't willing to give him a chance after he abandoned her, He didn't want to think of that but he'd still stay, He'd never leave her like that again. Ever.

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 **I know this is bit of a cliff hanger but this is pretty mild for me! Originally I was planning on writing to the point where Adrien was stood outside Marinette's hospital room but that this felt like a good stopping point for this chapter. I've had it in my head since the beginning that Nino would be the one to connect the dots. Where as in Unexpected Surprise, Adrien gave up on trying to convince Marinette he was Chat and Emma's father, I figured since he had spent a lot less time in this AU alone in America, He'd be a bit more determined to make her listen still being younger and a little more determined if that makes sense? Please review and let me know what you think! Reviews keep me going and make losing sleep a little less of a pain haha.**

 **I'm really sorry, This chapter feels so rushed! I really wasn't happy with while proofreading but I tried to start rewriting but my mind was just completely blank not to mention I'm up in 5 hours work I'M SORRY! I WILL MAKE SURE THE NEXT CHAPTER IS THE BEST IT CAN BE TO MAKE UP FOR MY CRAPPY WRITING IN THIS CHAPTER! #bows repeatedly smacking head against floor#**

 **Just a fair warning, I may be late on next weeks update as I'm off to birmingham on thursday until monday and I won't be taking my laptop with me so getting access to a computer might be a challange as I won't be staying in an executive suite like last year... no executive pass to the executive lounge with free executive beer and executive interwebs/computers and a gorgeous room with the dressing table and the view Free Executive stuff is not worth cutting into spends. IT's NOT I TELL YOU! NO AMOUNT OF AWESOME FREE FOOD AND BOOZE AND COFFEE IN THE MORNING IS WORTH SPENDING LESS ON YOUR TRASHY JUNK HOARDING WAYS! NOOOOOOOO... anyway... actual point was that I may be late BUT I will make sure I have the next chapter up sometime mid next week as I won't have anything around work to panic over and won't be looking to smash my head in with a hammer XD**

 **Until next week! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay I knew this was going to be late but I thought I would have had at least half of the chapter finished by now,... HA...no such luck. I'm still recovering from severe con flu and con blues after the weekend but OMG Kitacon was AMAZING! 3 Now I'm back to the normal daily grind and readjusting to normal life seems to be 10 times harder than usual after 4 days of cosplaying, non stop partying and fun!**

 **I thought I would publish this little interlude as the rest of the chapter is under ways and will be up soon but it's taking longer than expected to write so here's something to fill the gap :) I'll definitely be posting the final chapter shortly after the rest of this one so you won't long for the final chapter :3 I'm still going to be depressed after I finish this T.T**

 **Anyway's, Hope you enjoy! I own nothing.**

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A certain DJ was at his wits end. He was frustrated, If he couldn't get Alya out of the hospital room they had spent so many hours in he might just be counting down the minutes until she throttled him, He was getting more and more nervous as time past glancing nervously at the door waiting for a certain ex superhero to burst through the door and either save the day or make his possible impending death ten times more painful, but worst of all he was _tired._ He had tried every tactic he could to find a reason to escape the room with his other half but Alya hadn't stepped out of a few ft's radius of the girl in labour. He had been sent off to return home to get them a change of clothes at one point but she had refused to accompany him. She had tried to coax her into coming to get something to eat with her but she had practically growled at him. Marinette had even told them to leave but Alya had brushed off every attempt to get her out of the room with ease. Nino had long since broken into a sweat and Marinette's contractions which where getting closer and closer had him forgetting to breath at times. Finally a midwife had entered the room and requested everyone apart from Sabine leave the room which she examined the soon-to-be mother. Nino jumped out of his seat and was the first one out. Relief lifted some of the crushing weight on his shoulders and in his chest as he grabbed Alya's wrist and lead her down the corridor and into a deserted hallway, ignoring her protests. The moment they where out of earshot, Alya's sweet and caring friendliness shattered and she rounded on him with her fists on her hips.

"What is WRONG with you? Why are you actin-"

"Adrien is coming!" He tried to keep his voice low but the excitement he had felt when he first spoke to said blonde resurfaced. Alya's jaw unhinged and abstract confusion crossed her face, the expression was comical until it turned to icy rage.

"WHAT? What does that have...wait, why is Adrien coming? What..?" She opened and closed her mouth a few times trying to organise her thoughts while watching him practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Do you want to tell me why Mr American is on his way and why you're telling me this?" Nino frowned, not happy with her reaction to his best friend coming back home but he shook it off.

"Okay now don't freak out, I'm serious! I saw a family portrait in Mr Agreste's place at the party. You know the ring Marinette has that Chat was going to give her? It was Adrien's mothers!" He watched carefully, still ecstatic at having figured it out on his own. Alya's jaw dropped, slowly this time, as she processed that information and Nino couldn't help but enjoy this whole 'dropping bombs on people but letting them figure it out for themselves' and he had completely expected, while still dreaded, the rage that rose on her partner, you could practically see the sparks in the aura around her.

"He's Chat?!" Nino clapped a hand over her mouth to silence the shout that would draw the attention of the entire ward and grabbed her other hand, hoping it might have some sort of calming effect.

"Shhh! Yes Adrien is Chat! Was Chat! He isn't anymore but he told me! I figured it all out on my own! But don't freak out, He d-"

"DON'T FREAK OUT? DON'T FREA... The moment he sets foot in French territory I'm going to rip him a new one!"

"Nononono you don't want to do that! He didn't know! He didn't know Ladybu-Marinette was pregnant! He left the day after that argument they had, Marinette didn't know! Remember? Her and Cha-Adrien had that argument more or less exactly twelve weeks before Marinette had her first scan! I checked everything out after I spoke to him, Alya he want's to come back! He still loves Ladybug - Marinette. He's on his way here _right now_ so he can try and win her over." Alya sank into silence for seconds, minutes, Nino grew paled as time spanned on as the journalist thought. The DJ finally let go of her hand and gave her a goofy grin. "He actually wanted us to help him win Marinette over, He actually emptied his bank account a few hours ago to jump on a _private jet_ to get here before the baby arrives." Alya looked up, studying his face and much to Nino's relief, a smile tugged at the corner of her lips however she tried to mask it with rage.

"Okay, So maybe I won't kill him just yet. As long as he doesn't hurt my girl." She heaved a sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose and Nino didn't know if he should start running. "Adrien was Chat. Adrien was... And I didn't figure this out because...?" Nino took that as a sigh he would definitely survive at least the next few hours and snaked his arms around her waist and drew her against his chest and showering her forehead with kisses.

"I love you you know that!"

"Hmmmm, I'll reply to that depending on how things turn out," Nino chuckled. "I need to go and break the news to Marinette, She's... She's having Adrien's kid, She's naming her Emma. I can't believe this is actually, literally happen..."

"No! Don't tell her yet! Adrien told us not to tell her!" Alya recoiled from him a few inches, confused at the horror in his voice. "He want's to tell her himself when he get's here. He thinks she might not want to see him so she made me swear we wouldn't say anything." Alya lifted a brow and then tilted her head back and laughed.

"Okay so he's certainly making a good impression, I'm actually routing for him. We should get back, Tom will be wondering where we went and the examination should be over soon." They returned to Marinette's room and the midwife announced it was time for them to move to the pool room. A few hours later, Nino and Ton sat in a waiting room having not been able to go into the pool room as it was deemed women's only territory. Nino would have left to go home and catch a few hours sleep but the worry in Tom's features and the anticipation of Adrien's arrival had kept him glued to the uncomfortable bench he was currently sitting on for the past how ever many hours. He had suggested pulling Tom and Sabine aside and telling them what would be happening any moment but Alya had shout down the idea, one of them might tell Marinette. His job since Marinette, Alya and Sabine had moved to the eery room with the hot tub like pool in the centre of the room had been to keep a look out for his childhood friend and let Alya know the moment he arrived. Checking his watch as the time told it had been exactly nine hours since he had spoken to the soon-to-be father, the unmistakable screech of rubber souls against highly polished floor made his head jerk up. He watched Adrien as he came to the desk on the opposite side of the waiting room and overheard a brief exchange, picking up on 'Marinette' and 'I'm the father' before he stood and snuck up behind him, grabbing his shoulders. The blonde tensed and spun on his heels, losing his balance as he looked around in shock until he focused and took in his best friend. Nino could feel the nervousness rolling off his frazzled friend in waves along with a list of other emotions as he gave his shoulder a hopefully comforting squeeze, He couldn't even begin to comprehend what kind of things where going on in the smallers head but he could just begin to imagine just how terrifying the whole situation must be so he did the only thing he could and had his best friends back.

"You made it," He said with a proud grin.

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 **Idk why but from the moment I started writing this, I had it in my mind Marinette would have a water birth. No idea of where it came from but It was probably one of the first scenes I pictured and wrote notes on. Anyway,s Next chapter will be up soon! R &R and help my con blues go away T.T I now need to go and coma, Still catching up on lost sleep...**


	7. Chapter 7

**I have no words, I'm sorry this chapter came so late, I've literally had about an hour a day to myself for the past 2 weeks and I've had terrible writers block when I've actually had that time and it looks like it's going to be like that for the next few weeks as well, this was half written when I started working on it proerly after posting the last chapter but I've been writing a few sentences a day since . Hope you guys enjoy, the next chapter will follow as soon as I've finished it :) R &R and keep me motivated :3**

 **I own nothing.**

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By the time Adrien arrived at Charles de Gaulle, Several variations of his future had played out in his minds eye, everything from the best thing that could happen to something you only saw in crime arcs in soap operas. His mind was frayed, his nerves where at breaking point and a cold sweat continued to sheer his skin. When the plain landed his heart pounded painfully. When he disembarked, got through customs and into a taxi he was on the verge of running away. His mind had painted a heart warming image of nurseries and strollers and family walks through the parks of Paris right after painting cold and lonely images of doors being slammed in his face for leaving in the first place and family members hunting for his blood.

Vehicles where good he decided, especially moving ones, They did not allow a chance to escape, to stall. He was as desperate as he was terrified of the pending fork in the road that was his life but he wouldn't run. He wanted to stall, let the fact that he was merely hours if not minutes away from becoming a father sink in and ponder what he should say with a clearer head. If things didn't go well could he face returning to America knowing what kind of life he could have had? Only having his own father to look up to, did he even have it in him to be a dad? His mother had been warm but he couldn't remember her very well. Was there enough time in the world for him to begin making it up to Ladybug? Would her parents accept him despite running?

The drive to the hospital was as drawn out as it was quick and Adrien found it hard to breath by the time he handed over the few euro he had on him and walked into entrance. He followed signs which eventually lead him to the ward he was looking for, not having realised he had broken into a run when he left the elevator, reaching the reception panting and speaking at the receptionist with no real mind to what he was saying. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder and spun and his breath caught as an all to familiar smile met him.

"You made it."

"Nino!" Adrien practically jumped his old friend as he crushed him in a hug, ecstatic to see a familiar face and that he was here. Nino returned the hug after several awkward seconds and patted him on the back. Some of the blondes nerve's lifted at the familiar presence because he wasn't alone.

"Hay buddy, you made it, Marinette's still in-" He froze and stepped away, glancing to his left and Adrien followed his line of vision to a familiar face, his stomach plummeted at the sight of Mr Dupain-Cheng who looked at him in confusion and recognition.

"Um, Do you remember our friend Adrien Agreste? Um," Nino struggled to find words and Adrien shrunk in on himself. Tom smiled and stood up to offer a hand to Adrien and he swallowed, he had forgotten how huge the man was.

"It's nice to meet you again Mr Agreste, I thought you had moved to America, is everything okay?" Adrien swallowed, suddenly aware of how many people where in the room. Nino tensed and awkwardly shuffled between the two, leading them out of the waiting area and onto a corridor lined with individual rooms, the sounds of numerous women shrieking made Adrien look around desperately as if his lady would be standing there.

"Um actually, this is really awkward, a lot to take in and will require a lot of explaining which will come later but right now-"

"Where's Marinette?" Adrien cut in and two pairs of startled eyes turned to him as he continued looking around. "Where is she?" There was silence for several seconds before Nino finally broke the silence, eyeing Tom in horror as he eyed the model suspiciously.

"She's in room 2014, Alya and Mrs-Wait she's being examined!" Adrien didn't wait for him to finish, he sped down the hallway looking at room numbers until he came to the door he was looking for and nearly crashed into a nurse as she came out of the door. Hastily apologising, he ducked around her, deaf to her protests and entered a cosy room. Mrs Dupain-Cheng was standing next to what looked like a miniature jacuzzi uttering comforting and encouraging words, her hand being clasped by an all to familiar raven haired girl who's slender frame was lost in the large bath, she was facing away from the door. Everything but her seemed to disappear from existence as Adrien took an unsteady step into the room, how could it not? His entire world was merely a few steps away. Her raven hair was damp and stuck to her head and from what he could see, she was wearing a strap top, her frame, draped across he rim of the bath, was just as he remembered from her sitting right in front of him for all those years during the day and while he stood at her side, how could he not have noticed? Someone was shouting from behind him and Marinette finally turned towards him. Adrien was entranced, her all to familiar jewel blue eyes captivated him like they did the very first time. She turned to him, curious to see what the fuss was until recognition and surprise slowly clouding her exhausted features, then something akin to bewilderment, horror, embarrassment? Adrien couldn't begin to comprehend all the emotions that flitted across her face but it made him want to get closer to her, his heart thrummed against his ribcage as he tried to find words.

"Mr Agreste, this is quite inappropriate barging in a private ward like this!"

"I'm..I'm sorry," He stood up a little straighter, hands balling into fists to stop them from shaking and he took what should have been a calming breath, "I need to talk to Marinette, It couldn't wait."

"Um, Is it okay if we let these two have a moment alone? I'll explain everything outside, please, it really can't wait," Nino shuffled uncomfortably next to the blonde and he made a mental note to thank the DJ properly after all this. Alya stood up from her kneeling place behind the bath she had been in and gave Adrien a piercing look that only he and possibly Nino caught before leaning over and catching Marinette's shoulder with a reassuring smile.

"Don't stress out, we'll be in the hall, you'll thank us later, hopefully." Alya whispered some words in Marinette's mothers ear who's eyes widened and she allowed herself to be ushered out, gaping at Adrien as she went. Adrien was still transfixed by the striking presence of his lady but didn't react when the door clicked shut behind him and the room fell silent as they stared at each other like looking at a ghost.

"A-Adrien? W-What are you doing here?" Marinette lifted herself up and shuffled around so she was facing him and Adrien was able to see the swell of her stomach, their baby. He ran forward to the rim of the bath.

"Marinette... I..."

"Um, why are you here? This- I mean it's n-nice to see you but this really isn't a good time," Adrien withdrew a little, unsettled by the hint of anger in her voice when she started talking as her eyes bored into his. Anything he had planned to say had fled his mind and left him a terrified, stuttering mess. All the time his eyes stayed fixated on her baby bump.

"I um," There was silence until Marinette inhaled sharply and let out a wimpier, her hands gripped the edge of the bath and she ducked her head forward.

"Marinette!" She stayed like that, crying out in pain and the Adrien's head cleared a little bit. She was having a contraction and he was terrified, useless to do anything. "Okay just breath, you'll be okay. You'll-"

"Why are you hear Adrien?! I don't understand! Now is NOT a convenient time to have a chit chat if you DIDN'T notice," She practically growled the words as the pain seemed to reach a peak and she cried out. Adrien found her hands, allowing her to grip them, trying to comfort her in anyway he could, not disarmed by her angry words. _It's just the pain, you've heard the horrors of pregnant women before._ He waited as another minute trailed by until she seemed to settle, collapsing against the rim of the bath in fatigue.

Why did yo-"

"No it is! There couldn't be a better time! Marinette," he knelt down in front of her while she hunched over the pool. Her face crumpled in confusion and the remnants of the last contraction and he fought tears, her face captivatingly beautiful even with sweat and tears of agony running down her face in rivets and her hair plastered against her face. His heart swelled with an unbearable urge to protect? her in her fragile, vulnerable state along with the life she carried inside her, to give both of them his everything. "Can you ever forgive me?" She studied his face in bewilderment. "I...I should never have ran...If I hadn't been such a coward and left you like this... " She regarded him, her cheeks flushing pink as he leaned a little closer to her.

"You're not making any sense, What do you-"

"That night I ran." He cut across her, she stilled, brows furrowing at the words. "After you said you wished you never met me I hopped on a plane and left the country. I didn't even know it was me who was leaving you too, you never said the other guys name." Marinette finally lifted her head, piercing him with her searching gaze and he could practically see the pieces coming together. "I planned to propose to you, The night after your birthday. I lost the ring so I can't prove it. We spent the night in one of my fathers apartments, I said it was a friends." His heart constricted as the words tumbled from his mouth, his mind grasping at any little detail to make her understand.

"Adrian..."

"I bought you a pink teddy bear like what my father used to buy for my mother. We danced and you kissed me first, We showered together when it got dark and let Tikki and Plagg rest. I...You where gone by the time I woke up..." He ran out of words, inches away from breaking. He breathed in a shuddering breath and a nervous chuckle escaped him. He held her gaze, it was all he could do to make her understand. "I-If I knew I was leaving you like this I would never have left. I want to make it right, I want to be your partner again, be a father to our c-catbug, can you furrgive me?" If anything finally put the pieces together it was that. Marinette's eyes slowly widened and I was like she was looking at a ghost, eyes wide and jaw lolling.

"Chat...?" Understanding finally crept into her expression.

"My lady," his chest lifted and a smile slowly crept across his lips, "can you furrgive me?"

Marinette stared at him in disbelief , the understanding on her face morphed into regret and she swung her arms around him, pulling him up to her level and burying her face in his chest and she bawled, shouting the words 'I'm sorry' over and over. Her arms tightened around his waist each time he tried to tell her to stop, his own tears flowing freely as relief made him dizzy and he finally held her trembling form. Eventually he shuffled out of her grasp and stood up, embracing her over the lip of the pool in a less awkward position, not caring that he was all but completely soaked through while kissing every inch of her that he could reach. He only retracted so he could push her hair away from her face and cup her cheeks in her palms and capture her lips, sealing the incredibly bitter sweet moment. Her lips trembled along with the rest of her as they moved against him, drinking in every moment, every contact they shared. The moment was broken when she let out another cry of pain and he held her to him, allowing her to claw at the back of his shirt, ignoring the pain of her nails digging into his shoulder blades. Anything that would make her pain more bearable.

"Stay.' She said when the contraction seized, Adrien shakes his head and she panics momentarily. "Please-"

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise, I'm never leaving you again, you and our baby. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I-"

"Stop, No more, It was my fault, I..I should never have talked to you like that. I chased you away, I should have never said any of it...I love you... I love you so much I couldn't bare it..." Adrien held her a little closer, feeling her onslaught and rocked back and forth ever so slightly, forehead resting against hers with his eyes closed.

"Sshh, don't blame yourself. Stuff happens and we both played our parts," He gave her a squeeze and lifted his head back, able to take full stock of her. He looked down in wonderment at her baby bump. Their baby, the result of that one precious night they spent together. Marinette saw his gaze and smiled warmly, she found his hand and placed it on the side of her stomach and watched him. Adrien tensed, feeling a flutter of movement under his fingertips and he met her eyes.

"This is Emma," She looked down running a hand across her stomach, "Emma? This is your daddy," The simple phrase may not have seemed like much but they filled the models entire world with warmth and wonder. His mind conjured up the sound of tiny feet, birthday cakes and banners with Emma written all over them, swimming lessons, first day at school. His head felt like he would explode from happiness, she would let him stay. She wanted him to stay and she still loved him.

"Emma..." He tested the name and it brought a whole host of new thrills. Marinette's grip tightened and she whimpered as another contraction started, slamming Adrien back to earth. "Do you need anything? Can I do anything?"

"Get Alya and...nnnngh, my mother...in here... and the midwife... I think it's...time," Adrien practically jumped, a mix of fear and excitement scrambling his brain and he waited for the contraction to pass. He ran into the hall the moment Marinette relaxed and called for the two, Alya giving him a studious look and he beamed, she nodding in what looked like approval and ran down the hall. Mrs Dupein-Cheng ran in, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning into his ear before walking back into the room.

"I'm glad you came back," She gave him a kind smile and Adrien unfroze himself, never having expected the warmth in Mrs Dupein-Cheng's voice. Alya returned shortly after with a midwife who quickly ran over to the rim of the pool next to him and scooted him over so she could instruct Marinette. The next hour was... there was no way to explain it. Adrien felt like feinting several times over as he tried to keep a clear head and encourage Marinette, trying to do something, anything useful while she screamed and writhed and cried beneath him. eventually they got into a position where Marinette was sitting down on a ledge inside the bath while he stood behind her with her mother and Alya on either side of him, arms hooker under her shoulders and supporting her against his chest. After several tense minutes and Marinette gave one final almighty cry and it was over. The midwife brought up a tiny little baby to the surface of the water and placed their daughter in her slender arms. Wonderment and elation swept over him as he looked down at his lady holding little Emma in her arms and a wave of unexplainable emotion engulfed him. Without thought he kicked his shoes off and jumped over the lip of the bath, easing into the warm water fully clothed and settled on the ledge next to Marinette, one hand wrapping around her shoulders while the other came around to gently hold their daughter. His tears flew harder as he noticed the tiny shock of blond hair on Emma's head, her tiny delicate features, her every movement hypnotising him. He looked at Marinette who had also dissolved into tears, meeting his exhausted smile and beaming, resting her head against his cheek as she held Emma, her every breath fascinating. When she finally opened her eyes, her bright green eyes, his eyes burned again and he succumbed to his overwhelming ecstasy. The next few hours where a blur, Emma being taken away from them for moments while she was checked over and the two where helped out of the pool, a midwife taking pity on the blonde and gave him a pair of scrubs to change out of his sopping clothes into. Anywhere Marinette was, Adrien was merely a few inches away like a shadow. He got to spend a few minutes alone with Emma while Marinette showered, sat in a chair rocking her gently as she slept. Sabine and Alya had stolen her away for several minutes and he gazed at her longingly, feeling destressed by the distance between them. Pictures where taken of everyone holding Emma when Nino and Mr Dupein-Cheng where allowed in and Adrien was sure Alya snapped a few while he wasn't paying attention of him, with Marinette and Emma, the two receiving a wave of congratulations from the ravens family and their friends. All the while he felt nervous right up until a Midwife announced Marinette was clear to go home and he helped Marinette carry a sleeping Emma in the buggy she had brought. Sabine fixed the buggy into its pace in the back of their car while the new parents said their goodbyes to Alya and Nino.

"I'm glad you're back bro," Nino said, digging him lightly on the arm, Alya crossed her arms but the twitch of her lips gave her away.

"Just so you know, if you plan on disappearing again I will Hunt. You. Down." Marinette and Adrien chuckled, the blonde lacing an arm around Marinette's waist and pulling her to him gently, an assured grin on his face.

"I'm not leaving, Chat's honour." Marinette chuckled and he flushed, grinning. The sound was musical.

"Still such a dork, anyway, congratulations guys, We'll be down soon to visit." Alya gave her childhood friend a hug and then turned to Adrien, "You take care of her," She gave him a pat on the shoulder and got into the passenger seat of Nino's car. Nino gave him another hug, ruffled his hair playfully and got in the drivers seat, waving as they drove off. Tom called them over once Emma was fixed in place and Adrien lingered back, not sure of what to do. He had made it back and he had some how been forgiven and Marinette was willing to give him a chance but he hadn't thought what would happen after that. He probably had enough left in his bank account to find a hotel for a few nights until he could sort something more permanent out, the last thing he wanted to do was go back to his fathers, he had probably heard about his abrupt exit from the states by now. The Dupein-Cheng's didn't miss his downcast expression and Sabine smiled.

"You're welcome to come back to our home, if it's okay with Marinette of course." The blonde shuffled nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Marinette beamed and caught his hand, pulling him towards the car, her cheeks turning pink. Adrien smiled and let himself be pulled into the car while he stammered thanks and the pair fell asleep in the back seat moments after pulling out of the car park, Marinette's head dropping on Adrien's shoulder and his cheek resting on her head, an image Sabine couldn't resist taking on her phone when they pulled up at the bakery. Tom and Sabine exited the car quietly, not to startle the sleeping trio. Tom's arms wove around his wife and he embraced her as they watched the young family sleeping.

"They're going to make great parents aren't they? I still can't believe they where Ladybug and Chat Noir, now they're parents and I would put money on Adrien proposing to her soon, everyone saw how he was with her when they where hero's." Sabine beamed up at her husband, an excited glimmer in her eyes. He chuckled and patted her shoulder.

"Now now, don't be planning their wedding just yet, they'll want to get their own home and jobs first before anything like that. Although I look forward to teasing him if he comes to ask my permission." The two smiled as they woke their daughter and probably-soon-to-be son-in-law gently and Marinette took Emma out of the seat into her arms and carried her in, Adrien hovering around her, his eyes never leaving her or Emma as they made their way through the bakery and sat in the living room, almost falling asleep where they sat. Sabine gave them both a glance and came over to take Emma from her daughters arms.

"We'll watch Emma for tonight, you two get yourselves a good night sleep, you both need it," the pair immediately tried to protest but Tom stood by his wife with a soft but firm smile.

"Just tonight, Marinette you need to rest and Adrien you look like you haven't slept. We won't be able to do this all the time so make the most of it and get a good night sleep while you can." The two looked at each other and sighed gave in, Adrien flushed, the genuine concern Marinette's parents showed an alien concept to him.

"T-thank you, really, I can't thank you enough," They said their goodnight's, even though it was only six thirty, and Adrien followed the raven haired up the stairs that looked a lot different since he had been here years ago. The steps weren't as steep and there was a sturdy handrail he suspected had been added to ensure Marinette was able to carry Emma up and down safely. Marinette's room had undergone quite the change as well, in one corner was a large bed, a huge cat beanbag sat at the end behind several cushions, the other end of the room had been converted into a fully furnished nursery, much to Adrien's pleasure, was decorated with cute cat and ladybird themes. Another narrow staircase lead up to a small area where a desk sat with a sewing machine on and several rolls of fabric rested against a cabinet wick locked draws. He spotted the plush sofa and made his way towards it and felt a tug on his shirt. When he turned around Marinette was flushing pink and looking at the floor.

"Y-you can s-share my bed." Adrien met her blush with her own.

"Are you sure?" She nodded and the blonde's heart fluttered. He followed her to her bed and looked down, frowning, He was still wearing the scrubs he ad been given at the hospital and groaned, he had left his suitcase in the taxi in his rush to get home and there was no return address attached to it. "Um, I may have to call the taxi firm tomorrow and go shopping, I left my suitcase in the cab." Marinette eyed him up and down and chuckled.

"I took to wearing men's sweat tshirts while I was pregnant, I can find you one, I can't do much for pants," She rummaged through a few drawers and found a baggy white tshirt. He took it gratefully and slipped into the en suite bathroom, happy to take the itchy scrub top off. The pants weren't exactly comfortable but it would be vulgar to take them off and sleep in his boxers. He returned, yawning wildly to find Marinette already setting the covers over herself, wearing a baggy tshirt of her own and shorts, the sight was adorable. He manoeuvred to the other side and got in, his cheeks burning. They laid there facing each other, averting each others eyes until Adrien shuffled closer, fumbling for her hands and staring into her eyes, a slight smile pulling on his lips.

"Are you furling okay my lady?" Marinette flushed, nodding.

"Just tired kitty," She unravelled one of her hands and her palm rested on his cheek, pulling him in for a kiss. The touch was sweet and sent electricity through the models exhausted body, her sweetness and warmth making him putty in her hands. She pulled away chewing her lip nervously. "We have a lot to talk about, what happens next?" He laced an arm around her waist and pulled her closer so she was flattened against him, whispering into her hair.

"Tomorrow, It's late." They laid in content silence, Adrien felt Marinette twitch a little under and he gave her a questioning look. "hmm?" She giggled silently and he raised a brow.

"Catbug?" Adrien flushed, thankfully it was dark enough she probably couldn't see. Her giggle turned into laughter.

"Hay, I.." He gave up quickly on defending his nickname and joined in with her laughter. They settled back to silence and she relax in his arms and her breath evened out. Adrien was moments away from succumbing to sleep himself when his phone rang. Groaning, he carefully reached for it, not to disturb his lady's sleep and looked at the caller. He tensed as he saw the called id, his thumb hovering over the answer icon, his hand trembling. Instead of answering he silenced his phone and sunk into the mattress, significantly less pleasant thoughts circling his brain before he eventually fell asleep snuggling close to Marinette. Tomorrow.

* * *

 **Okay so I'm not at all happy with how this turned out but I've been working on it for ages and I've reread it so many times and I couldn't figure out a better way to write the scene so sorry if this was a bit of a let down :( next chapter will be up as soon as soon as possible, I'll try not to make you wait to long :D Thank you so much for reading, following/favoriting and especially reviewing!**


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